The Flatmate
by riftintime
Summary: A compulsive neat-freak and a habitual slob make for unlikely companions. But when struggling author Ianto Jones finds himself in need of a new flatmate, photographer Jack Harkness arrives on his doorstep. Soon both their worlds are turned upside down. Jack/Ianto AU.
1. Chapter 1

**"The Flatmate" by riftintime**

**Summary:** A compulsive neat-freak and a habitual slob make for unlikely companions. But when struggling author Ianto Jones finds himself in need of a new flatmate, photographer Jack Harkness arrives on his doorstep. Soon both their worlds are turned upside down. Jack/Ianto AU.

**Pairing: **Jack/Ianto

**Rating: **NC-17/Adult

**Genre:** Romance

**Warnings:** Explicit sexual situations and adult themes, occasional coarse language, some angst.

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters created and owned by the BBC. No profit is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

**Author's Notes:** This is an alternate universe story, using some of the Torchwood and Doctor Who characters, and set in a normal, alien-free world.

Well, I'm back with something that's a bit lighter and different, but hopefully still enjoyable. This one is shorter than my last story and consists of 20 chapters and around 65K words. I plan to post a new chapter once a week. Please review if you're able to and let me know what you think. I greatly appreciate all feedback and I do my best to reply to all reviews. Thank you!

A huge thanks as always to my friend Prothrombintime for invaluable support, encouragement, and feedback.

* * *

**Chapter One**

Ianto closed the front door of his flat and leaned back against it, closing his eyes as he groaned in frustration. He'd had no idea that finding a new flatmate would be so utterly exhausting.

The obnoxious, foul-mouthed young woman he'd just said goodbye to was merely the latest in a long list of potential candidates he'd interviewed over the course of the past week – twenty-nine at the latest count – and he was still no closer to finding someone he could tolerate living with on a daily basis. Admittedly he was a man of exacting standards, but it wasn't his fault that Cardiff's motley pool of flat hunters failed to live up to his expectations. No matter how desperate he was, he refused to compromise. The perfect flatmate was out there somewhere. He just had to find them.

His ex-girlfriend, Lisa Hallett, had walked out of his flat and his life three and a half months ago. In hindsight, her abrupt departure shouldn't have been that much of a surprise. He'd somehow missed the warning signs and by the time he'd realised that the only woman he'd ever loved was leaving him, it had been too late. The subsequent fog of shock and denial had taken a long time to clear and when he'd finally accepted that Lisa wasn't coming back, he'd had no choice but to face the reality of his new circumstances. Without Lisa's income to contribute to the mortgage, utilities, and day-to-day living expenses, his aspirations for a career as a full-time novelist were in serious jeopardy. He'd decided that he had three options: sell his beloved flat and find a more modest, affordable place to live, return to regular employment and give up on his dream, or find someone new with whom to cohabitate. None of the options were particularly appealing, but he'd decided on the lesser evil. He just needed enough time to finish writing his second novel without the constant worry of his dwindling finances.

With a weary sigh, Ianto opened his eyes again and made his way over to the sofa. Slumping down into the thick cushions, he sighed again and gave his best friend a wan smile.

Toshiko leaned forward from where she was sitting in the adjacent armchair and patted his knee. "Don't worry, Ianto. You'll find someone soon." She gave him a warm, sympathetic smile.

Moses chose that moment to jump into Ianto's lap, butting his head against Ianto's stomach and issuing a plaintive meow. "Hello, sweetheart," Ianto murmured, pulling Moses into his arms and stroking the underside of his neck. He was rewarded with soft purring as the feline nuzzled his fingers. "Almost time for your dinner, yeah?"

Ianto had adopted Moses when his elderly neighbour, Estelle, had passed away the year before. Lisa hadn't been particularly happy about it, she was more of a dog person, but Estelle had been like a grandmother to Ianto. He hadn't been able to bear the thought of Moses ending up in some horrible place for unwanted animals, unloved and uncared for. It would have broken Estelle's heart. Besides, he'd always been very fond of the grey, short-haired moggy.

Moses could be aloof and haughty, and he didn't take to other people, usually conveying an air of vague disdain. He was a fussy and fastidious creature of habit and had only ever shown affection for Estelle and Ianto himself. Moses hadn't liked Lisa, and he even seemed indifferent to warm, kind-hearted Toshiko. Ianto wasn't sure how well Moses would adapt to having someone new living in their home. He could be a moody little bugger at the best of times.

"Sure I can't convince you to move in?" Ianto asked Tosh hopefully.

Tosh chuckled. "Somehow, I don't think Mary would be too happy about that. Actually, she'd probably be green with jealousy. She's always had a thing for you. You know she thinks you're adorable." She gave him a mischievous smile, the humour in her dark brown eyes matching her smile. "Which, of course, you are."

Ianto huffed indignantly and glared at her, but Tosh's smile only grew wider. It seemed to be his curse that every woman he'd ever known thought that he was the most adorable thing they'd ever seen. On rare occasions he'd get an upgrade to boyishly handsome, but most of the time he had to settle for cute or adorable.

He'd never been quite sure what to make of Toshiko's flamboyant, extroverted, blonde bombshell of a girlfriend. Mary was a stark contrast to the softly spoken, mild-mannered Toshiko. But it was obvious that they were happy and very much in love. Mary had moved in with Tosh a little over six months ago and Ianto had never seen his friend happier. He sometimes envied what they had. He wasn't sure he'd ever really had that with Lisa. He and Lisa had loved each other, he was certain of that, but in the end they just hadn't been a good fit.

"Besides," Tosh continued, her tone light and playful. "If we lived together, I'm not sure I'd last a week before I was trying to decide where to hide your body."

"You're probably right about that," Ianto agreed, rolling his eyes and attempting a half-hearted chuckle. He was under no illusions that he wasn't the easiest of people to live with. Lisa had told him that often enough, bemoaning and belittling his obsessive, fastidious nature. They'd fought a lot about that and he sometimes wondered if he'd driven her away. Even worse, he wondered if deep down he'd known exactly what he was doing, yet had been unable to stop himself.

Tosh's demeanour turned serious. "She was never good enough for you, Ianto."

Ianto simply nodded, not sure what to say. Tosh's uncanny ability to seem to know what he was thinking was sometimes unnerving. He considered himself to be adept at masking his emotions behind a guise of reserved impassivity, but he could rarely get anything past Tosh. And Toshiko was fiercely loyal to the people she cared about. It was one of the many things that Ianto loved about her. He pitied anyone who found themselves on the receiving end of the diminutive Japanese woman's ire. Although he didn't agree with her statement, he appreciated the sentiment behind it nonetheless. Lisa and Tosh had been friendly, but he'd always suspected that Tosh had made the effort for his sake, not because she had liked Lisa very much.

It took a moment for Tosh's expression to clear again. "You could always get a part-time job for a while? Just to help make ends meet? That way you could still devote time to your writing."

"I suppose." Ianto knew it was a sensible option. The income from a part-time job wouldn't be enough, but it would help to stretch his dwindling savings and meagre royalties further. It just felt too much like giving up and admitting that he'd failed. He wasn't ready to do that yet. He held Moses a little bit tighter, cradling him against his chest.

Tosh gave him an encouraging smile. "Well, you've still got this friend of Rose's. Maybe he'll be the one."

"Yeah, maybe." Ianto tried to keep the scepticism from this voice. He wasn't going to get his hopes up.

Rose Tyler lived in one of the downstairs flats with her mother, Jackie. Ianto had been surprised when Rose had knocked on his door the day before and told him that one of the freelance photographers from the studio she worked at was looking for a place to live. According to Rose the bloke wanted to find somewhere in a hurry.

Moses jumped from Ianto's grasp as the doorbell chimed, scurrying away into the kitchen. Ianto glanced at his watch as he got to his feet. "Speak of the devil," he muttered. "That's probably him."

Tosh stood up too, giving him an excited grin as she gestured for him to open the door.

Ianto sighed and made his way to the small alcove that served as the entrance to the flat. Opening the door, he was confronted by quite possibly the most ridiculously handsome man he'd ever his laid eyes upon. He stared at the man, momentarily dumbstruck. About the same height as Ianto at six feet tall, the man was solidly built, but trim, with a broad chest and shoulders. A stylish mop of unruly dark hair framed a classically handsome face with chiselled features, a strong cleft chin, deep dimples, and sparkling blue eyes. Dressed casually in dark jeans, a deep blue shirt, and a black leather jacket, the man looked like he'd just walked off a film set.

"Oh, hey," the man drawled in a pronounced American accent, beaming at Ianto with a toothy smile that was far too white to be natural. "You must be Ianto. I'm Jack Harkness. Rose Tyler told me you're looking for a new flatmate." He stuck out a large hand in greeting, wide smile remaining firmly in place.

Ianto blinked several times, cleared his throat, then offered his hand, which was grasped and shaken in a firm grip. "Er... hello. Yes, I'm Ianto Jones." He made of point of enunciating his name clearly. Jack had mangled it horribly by drawing out the first syllable in an exaggerated manner. He'd only barely managed not to cringe. "Come in, Jack."

"Thanks." Jack stepped inside, and Ianto closed the door behind him.

Jack looked around with wide, curious eyes as he moved into the living area. "Wow, great place. Did you do all this yourself?"

"Yep." Ianto allowed a small smile to pass over his lips. When he'd purchased the top-floor flat, it had been run down and neglected, but the layout had been spacious for a two bedroom flat and it was in a nice, quiet area with stunning views from the tall main windows. He'd renovated it from top to bottom, replacing virtually everything except the bare walls, choosing each and every fitting and piece of furnishing with careful consideration. He'd expended a great deal of time and money to bring his vision of his ideal flat to life, and he was quietly proud of his achievement.

Tosh stepped forward, staring up at Jack with wide eyes. Jack grinned at her and shook her hand. "Hi, I'm Jack."

"This is Toshiko Sato." Ianto rolled his eyes from where he stood just behind Jack's left shoulder. Apparently he wasn't the only one who had momentarily lost the ability to speak.

"A pleasure to meet you, Toshiko," Jack said smoothly. He glanced back at Ianto, eyebrows raised, then focused his attention on Tosh again. "Are you Ianto's girlfriend?"

"Oh, God, no," Tosh spluttered. "Ianto's my best friend. I'm just giving him a hand with finding a new flatmate." Ianto felt his eyes widen with incredulity as Tosh produced a breathless giggle. She actually giggled. He would have been less surprised if she had suddenly sprouted a second head. "It's nice to meet you, too, Jack." She was practically gushing.

Jack smiled at her, then dropped himself onto the sofa when Ianto stepped forward and gestured for them to sit down. Tosh took her seat again, and Ianto sat in the armchair across from her, leaving Jack sitting between them, in the middle of the sofa.

Jack continued looking around the room. "Well, I was about to say that Ianto is a very lucky man to have such a beautiful girlfriend. Now, Toshiko, don't break my heart and tell me you're not single?"

Ianto stared at Jack in disbelief while Tosh tucked a wayward strand of his glossy black hair behind her ear. There was no doubt about it, she was blushing. "I'm afraid not. I live with my girlfriend."

Jack affected a look of devastation, causing Tosh to giggle again. Ianto decided that he needed to take control of the situation. He cleared his throat, loudly. "Ah... so, Jack... Rose said you're in a bit of a hurry to find a new place to live?"

Jack nodded. "Kind of, yeah. I live with my buddy Owen at the moment. He's a doctor at St. Helens hospital. His girlfriend is moving in next week, so it's time for me to make a move. I don't want to be in their way and cramp their style. My other buddy Rhys moved out a while ago and lives with his girlfriend too. Rhys owns the photography studio where I do a lot of my work. That's how I know Rose." He exhaled a heavy sigh. "We're all going our separate ways now. The three of us have been almost inseparable since university so it's kind of sad. It had to happen sooner or later though."

Ianto made a non-committal murmur of agreement. "You're not in a relationship yourself then, if you don't mind me asking?"

Jack shook his head. "Nope. Free as a bird. How about you?"

Jack gaze was intent and appraising, and Ianto shifted uncomfortably, feeling ill-at-ease under the scrutiny of those searching blue eyes. "Er... no... there's no one."

"Two eligible bachelors then." Jack grinned and winked at him. Then his grin faltered. "You probably should know that I'm a flexible kind of guy. I'm assuming that's not a problem?"

Ianto looked at him blankly. Thankfully Tosh came to his rescue. "You're bisexual, Jack?" she asked.

Jack shrugged, his features clouding with a look of disdain. "I don't believe in labels. If I like someone, it doesn't matter to me whether they're male or female."

"It's not a problem," Ianto assured him quickly. He was straight, but he didn't care about anyone else's sexual preferences. Tosh was gay, Mary was bisexual, and a couple of the blokes he used to work with were gay, none of which had ever bothered him in the slightest.

"Good." Jack glanced around the living area again. Just as he seemed about to speak, Moses reappeared, sauntering up to the sofa. He brushed around Jack's legs, giving a tentative sniff, then to Ianto's astonishment, he jumped up onto the sofa and sat himself on Jack's lap, staring up at the man with his large golden eyes.

"Whoa! Who's this little fella?" Jack smiled with apparent delight as he stroked Mo's back, then proceeded to scratch between his ears. Mo responded by rubbing his head against Jack's hand, meowing with obvious approval.

Ianto glanced over at Tosh, who was gaping at Jack and Moses, looking every bit as shocked as he was. "His name's Moses. Mo for short," Ianto finally answered.

"Hey, buddy," Jack cooed, cradling Moses in his arms and smiling down at him. "Aren't you a gorgeous little guy, hmm?" He continued scratching between Mo's ears as Mo closed his eyes and began to purr.

Jack beamed at Ianto. "He's adorable. I've always loved cats. So, how much are you wanting per week?"

Still bewildered by the inexplicable scene in front of him, it took Ianto a few moments to recover. "Er... oh, right." He picked up a sheet of neatly folded paper from the coffee table and passed it over to Jack. "I've itemised everything on a monthly basis including a half share of each of the utilities and so on. Then there's just sharing the cost of food. Ideally, I'm looking for someone who's willing to help out with the cooking. I like to cook, but it's nice to have a break from it now and then. Take-away is fine on occasion, but I prefer to prepare home-made meals most of the time."

Jack glanced quickly at the figures, then handed them back. "Looks fair to me. I can hold my own in the kitchen, so that's not a problem. Like you, I don't want to do it all the time, but I'm happy to do my share. My hours can be a bit erratic though, so I'm not always at home for regular meal times. Plus, I go out with my buddies pretty regularly."

Ianto nodded. A flatmate who wouldn't be around too much sounded ideal. He needed as much peace and quiet as possible to work on his writing.

"Do you drink coffee, Jack?" Tosh interjected. "Ianto makes the most incredible coffee you've ever tasted. Would you like a cup?"

"Sure, I'd love some." Jack gave her a conspiratorial wink. "I'm a hopeless addict."

"Me, too. So is Ianto." Tosh stood up, catching Ianto's gaze and gesturing with her head towards the door to the kitchen. "Can you give me a hand, Ianto?"

"Of course, Tosh." Ianto inwardly rolled his eyes, however he stood up and followed her into the kitchen. He glanced back at Jack, but the man's attention was focused on Moses again. "Won't be a minute."

The door had barely closed behind them when Tosh grabbed hold of his arm. "Oh, my God! Ianto, he's gorgeous. He's like a film star, or even a model." She sighed in an overly dramatic and uncharacteristic fashion. "If I wasn't already in a relationship, I'd switch teams for him in a heartbeat."

Ianto wondered if Tosh had temporarily lost her mind. She was almost swooning. The man might be good-looking, but his charms were dubious at best and he was far too smarmy and sure of himself for Ianto's liking. If he was feeling uncharitable, which he was, he might go so far as to say that Jack seemed like an obnoxious, ostentatious git.

He retrieved three coffee mugs from a cupboard and lined them up neatly along the counter, then turned to the coffee machine, operating it with well-practised ease. "I suppose he is quite handsome," he allowed, albeit grudgingly, before turning around to face Tosh again. "But he's very..." He paused as he tried to find a word to sum up the man. "American," he settled on.

Tosh swatted him on the arm, none to gently. "Ianto!"

"What?" Ianto asked defensively, rubbing his wounded arm. "He is!"

"I like him," Tosh declared, her tone adamant. "Even Moses likes him. And he never likes anyone, except you. That has to count for something. And I don't think Rose would have suggested him if she thought he wouldn't be suitable."

Ianto wasn't sure that he was willing to choose a new flatmate based on the character assessment of his cat. But Tosh had a point about Rose. "I don't know, Tosh... I'm not sure we'd be a good fit. He's a bit much, isn't he?"

"Well, if you don't keep him, I'm taking him home with me." Tosh's eyes danced with mischief. "Mary would think all her Christmases had come at once." She sighed again, then looked thoughtful. "I wonder what that aftershave is he's wearing? Did you notice it? He smells incredible."

Ianto shrugged. He hadn't failed to notice how good Jack smelled, but there was no way he was going to admit it. "No idea."

Tosh rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him. "Just talk to him a bit more and show him around?" She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Give him a chance. I've got a good feeling about him."

Ianto rubbed wearily at the bridge of his nose. He held Tosh's imperious gaze for a moment, then slowly nodded. "All right."

Fifteen minutes later, Ianto was showing Jack around the rest of the flat. Tosh had taken refuge in the kitchen, probably on the phone to Mary and whispering excitedly. He suspected that a dinner party was in Jack's near future, whether he moved in or not. Mary ran a catering business and loved to entertain. He just hoped that he wouldn't be invited too, but he knew it was a foregone conclusion.

The man had gone into near-orgasmic rapture over Ianto's coffee. Ianto appreciated the flattery, but he was finding Jack's unrestrained enthusiasm and complete lack of reserve rather irritating. He realised that a part of him was hoping Jack would find the flat unsuitable, thereby taking the decision out of his hands. But at the same time he was fed up with the search for a flatmate, and as much as he wanted to deny it, Jack was the best candidate he'd found so far. Plus, Tosh and Moses apparently thought that the man was the best thing since sliced bread.

"Only the one bathroom I'm afraid," he explained apologetically as he ushered Jack into the compact but luxurious room.

Jack stepped into the generously sized shower cubicle and spun around. "Very nice. Anyway, sharing a bathroom shouldn't be a problem for two guys, right?" He stepped back out, moving in close to Ianto. Those probing blue eyes regarded Ianto far too intently.

Ianto felt heat warming his cheeks. Jack's scent filled his nostrils and the room suddenly seemed far too small for two fully grown men.

Swallowing hard, he took a step back. "What are you looking at?" Then he had a disturbing thought. "I'm not gay, Jack. I don't like men. Not like that. So don't get any funny ideas."

Jack threw back his head and laughed. Ianto narrowed his eyes, failing to see what was so bloody funny.

"I'm not going to try to seduce you, Ianto Jones." Jack laughed again, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. "Believe me, you'd know it if I was. I'm standing here with a gorgeous Welshman right in front of me. I'm just admiring the view." He raised a challenging eyebrow. "A guy's allowed to look, isn't he?"

"Oh." The heat filling Ianto's cheeks intensified. At least Jack hadn't called him adorable, he supposed. "Um... well, er... thanks. I guess."

Jack gave him a wide grin, all dimples, twinkling eyes, and perfect, retina-scorching white teeth. "The flat's fantastic, Ianto. I'll pay you a month in advance for the rent and utilities. When can I move in?"


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks again to everyone for the generous response on the first chapter. I really appreciate it. And thank you as always to Prothrombintime for taking the time to read my ramblings and for the unwavering support and encouragement.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

The following day was Saturday, and Jack moved into Ianto's flat that afternoon. Ianto wasn't quite sure how that had happened. They'd been standing in the bathroom, his face flushed as he tried to recover his composure, and the next thing he knew, he was telling Jack that he could move in whenever he was ready. Jack had asked for another cup of coffee, and they'd discussed the details of Jack's tenancy. Tosh had been ecstatic.

Jack arrived a little after one o'clock, amidst a mountain of mismatched boxes, bulging bin bags, and random bits of luggage, a large, stocky Welshman in tow. The man was introduced as Rhys Williams, one of Jack's two best mates, and the man Jack worked with. He'd borrowed a van for the day and was helping Jack with moving his belongings.

The second bedroom – now Jack's bedroom – was a little smaller than Ianto's, but still a good size, with a large south-facing window, spacious built-in wardrobe, and already furnished with a double bed, bedside table, and chest of drawers. Ianto had told Jack that they could move the furniture out if he wanted to bring in his own stuff, even though he'd hoped that wouldn't be the case. The clean lines and warm timber of the matching furniture was in keeping with the contemporary style of the rest of the flat. It was also some of the first furniture he'd ever owned, and he was reluctant to part with it. To his relief, Jack had said the existing furniture was fine and that he'd just add his desk, bookcase, and television.

The room had previously served primarily as Ianto's study, but after Lisa had left and Ianto had decided to rent the room out, he'd moved his desk into a corner of the living room, tucking it into the space between the kitchen and the living room's windows. That was where he usually worked during the day. He had a smaller desk in his bedroom so he could work in there too. He supposed that would come in handy in the evenings when Jack wanted to watch the big flat-screen television in the living room.

The two men seemed to be making far more noise than was necessary as they hauled in Jack's belongings and banged about in the bedroom, so Ianto retreated to the kitchen, busying himself with giving it a thorough cleaning.

He was on his knees with his head in the oven when Jack's voice startled him from the doorway. "Now, there's a view I could stare at for hours," the man drawled, his voice dripping with innuendo.

Ianto jumped, banging his head against the inside of the oven. Cursing under his breath, he extricated himself and climbed to his feet, rubbing at the back of his head. "And that's harassment," he retorted, glaring darkly at the other man.

Jack grinned, not looking in the least bit repentant. His eyes drifted towards Ianto's gleaming coffee machine. "Hey, any chance of some of your fantastic coffee? I've been telling Rhys about it."

It was on the tip of Ianto's tongue to tell Jack to bugger off, but it wouldn't have been fair to punish a fellow Welshman for Jack's misdemeanours. Besides, he was determined not to let the man get the better of him. He suspected that Jack went out of his way to push people's buttons and see what sort of reaction he could evoke.

Clamping down on his retort, he took a deep breath and replied with a curt nod.

Once coffee was delivered to the two men, Ianto returned to the kitchen and set to work cleaning the coffee machine. He was almost finished when Rhys wandered into the kitchen, Jack nowhere in sight.

"Thanks again for the coffee, Ianto. Jack was right... it's bloody brilliant. If you ever decided to sell the stuff, you'd make an absolute killing." Rhys gave Ianto a friendly smile, but he hovered near the doorway, looking awkward.

Ianto frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Jack's just gone down to the van to get the last of his stuff." Rhys took a step closer, sighed, then rubbed at his neck. "Look, mate. I probably shouldn't say anything. It's just that Jack doesn't always make a very good first impression. He can come across as a bit of a..."

"Wanker?" Ianto suggested, the word slipping out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Rhys barked out a laugh and seemed to relax. "I was going to say smarmy git, but yeah, near enough. He can be a bit an acquired taste. He likes being the centre of attention, likes getting a rise out of people. But beneath it all, he's a good bloke. There's no one else I'd rather have in my corner. Anyway, from someone who's lived with him before, just thought I should warn you that it might not be easy at first." His expression was sympathetic, then a warm smile spread across his features. "Jack's a lot like my Gwen. She's the most infuriating bloody woman I've ever met. Drives me barmy more often than not, but I can't imagine my life without her, you know?"

Ianto wasn't sure that he did know, but he nodded anyway. "So you're saying I should try to be patient with him?"

"I'm not trying to scare you off. But, yeah, you're probably going to have to be a bit patient." Rhys gave him a hearty slap on the back, an apparent act of camaraderie between fellow Welshmen. "Rose says you're a top bloke, and it seems to me that you're a level-headed sort of lad. I'm sure you and Jack will be fine."

Ianto nodded again, hoping Rhys was right.

Rhys moved to the doorway, but then he turned back again. He suddenly looked embarrassed. "I know it's stupid, but I worry about him. I've got my Gwen, and Owen's got his Katie, but Jack's still on his own. He'd deny it until he was blue in the face, but he needs someone, too."

Rhys wandered off, leaving Ianto to ponder his new flatmate as he finished cleaning the coffee machine.

He supposed there could be more to Jack than first appeared. He might be a shameless flirt and an arrogant wanker, but perhaps he had hidden depths. With that in mind, he wondered if he should make something nice for dinner. A sort of 'welcome to the flat' offering. He'd spent too much time alone since Lisa. Too many quiet, lonely evenings. He realised that it might be nice to have someone around to eat with, talk to a bit, maybe even sit with and watch a film on the telly.

Jack reappeared a couple of minutes later. "Me and Rhys are going to the pub. We'll probably have something to eat, maybe catch a band later." He paused, giving Ianto an uncertain look. "You can come with us if you want?"

Ianto shook his head. "I've got work to do. Maybe some other time."

"Okay, well, suit yourself." Jack shrugged before turning away. "I'll see you later."

Rhys called out a cheery farewell, and then they were gone. Ianto sighed and returned to his cleaning. Apparently he was going to have another quiet evening after all.

His mood didn't improve when he opened the door to Jack's room and peeked inside. Boxes and bags were strewn everywhere, covering almost every inch of the floor and bed. A wide glass-topped desk had been shoved into one corner, a large iMac sitting on top which Jack presumably used for his photography work, the shiny glass screen dulled by smears and fingerprints. A tall and cheap-looking beech veneer bookcase was next to the desk, with books, CD's, and DVD's piled haphazardly on its shelves, and there was a battered grey television stand against the wall opposite the bed, a small, dusty flat-screen television sitting askew on top.

Eyes wide with horror, Ianto stepped backwards, feeling vaguely ill as his hands began twitching with the desperate need to bring order to the chaos that had invaded his flat. The room had been transformed into a rubbish tip, and even worse, Jack hadn't made any attempt to unpack or begin to organise his new space before swanning off somewhere.

Moses brushed past his legs, then jumped up onto the bed and began to sniff around curiously. He curled himself up in the one tiny bit of empty space in the middle of the bed and closed his eyes, settling in for a nap.

Ianto narrowed his eyes at the feline. "Bloody traitor," he muttered under his breath.

His mouth still hanging open with shock, he pulled the door closed, leaving it just slightly ajar so that Moses wouldn't be trapped inside. He pressed his eyes closes and tried to banish the awful image from his mind. Then he did one of the few things that helped when he felt control over his meticulously organised world begin to slip. He returned to the kitchen and began to bake.

Ianto enjoyed cooking, but he especially liked the precision required by the art of baking. He found pleasure in the process of measuring out each ingredient, knowing that the outcome of his well-practised recipes was certain as long as he took the necessary amount of care. He also enjoyed the challenge of committing his favourite recipes to memory, of being able to produce anything from his repertoire with efficiency and ease. Cleaning up afterwards was an added bonus. Lisa had thought he was mad, but there was something rewarding about a spotlessly clean kitchen after a therapeutic baking session. He accepted it for what it was: a coping mechanism – something to keep his hands and mind busy when he was feeling stressed or anxious.

He had a long history of finding ways to help himself cope with the world he lived in, some better than others. He'd been a smoker for the best part of six years, taking it up at the age of seventeen, just after his mother had died from a prolonged and painful battle with cancer. He'd kept the habit hidden from his father, who had passed away shortly after Ianto had turned twenty-one. A couple of years later, he'd met Lisa, and he finally managed to quit, although not easily. For a time, he'd replaced cigarettes with food, resulting in a rapid ballooning of his weight. Eventually he'd managed to sort himself out, shedding the excess pounds and regaining his former slim build. He still kept a photo of how he'd looked at his worst, a reminder of the person he'd never let himself become again. He'd had to find activities that kept him distracted and busy, pastimes that could hold those self-destructive impulses at bay.

It was almost midnight when he heard the front door being unlocked, closed, and locked again. He was in bed and just starting to doze off, Moses curled up next to him and sleeping soundly. He felt a bit queasy, his stomach full of sticky-date pudding and assorted muffins, combined with a couple of beers and too much coffee. He'd done the mental calculation of the calories he'd consumed in excess of his daily quota, and he was thoroughly disgusted with himself. He hadn't even managed to do any work on his new book, instead escaping into the world of his favourite fictional spy by watching two of his favourite Bond films back-to-back.

Muttering to himself, he climbed out of bed and stomped across the hallway to Jack's room. He cringed as his vision was assaulted once more. Meanwhile, Jack was in the process of haphazardly moving detritus off the bed, tossing things every which way.

"Hey, buddy. Didn't think you'd still be awake." Jack looked up, his eyes roaming over Ianto as a wide smirk spread across his face. "Nice pyjamas, by the way."

Ianto felt heat rise to his cheeks as he looked down at himself, belatedly remembering that he was wearing his blue pyjamas covered in little cartoon sheep. The pyjamas were soft, warm, and comfortable, and he usually only wore them when he was feeling unsettled.

He crossed his arms over his chest and hoped his withering gaze adequately conveyed his displeasure. "Trying to find yours, are you?"

"Never wear any." Jack continued moving bags and boxes off the bed. He shrugged. "Don't see the point."

"Oh." Ianto wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"You should try it some time," Jack suggested, glancing up at him again. "You might even like it."

"How do you know I haven't?" Ianto demanded, incensed by the man's nerve. Just because he was standing in Jack's doorway, dressed in admittedly ridiculous looking pyjamas, didn't mean that he'd never slept naked before. The fact that he hadn't, come to think of it – at least not for an entire night – was neither here nor there.

With the bed finally free of clutter, Jack roughly yanked back the covers, causing Ianto to cringe again. Then Jack started rummaging in one of his boxes, presumably looking for toiletries now that they'd established he wasn't searching for nightwear. "Well, you've got to admit, you're kind of uptight and straight-laced."

Ianto clenched his hands into fists, causing his neatly trimmed fingernails to bite into his palms. "I bloody well am not. You don't know anything about me."

Jack raised his hands in surrender. "Fine. Just saying that you could lighten up a bit. Wouldn't kill you, you know."

"And it wouldn't kill you to tidy up your bloody room," Ianto retorted, his voice cold with anger. "You might live here now, but this is still my home. You could at least show some respect."

Not waiting for Jack to respond, Ianto turned away and marched back into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

After a restless night, he woke early the following morning, feeling more than a little embarrassed by his behaviour. While he felt that he'd been justifiably provoked, he was disappointed with himself for letting Jack get the better of him. He needed to make this situation work, otherwise he'd be back to square one again.

With that in mind, he showered, shaved, and dressed, then set about preparing breakfast. Once he was satisfied that everything was ready, he knocked softly on Jack's door and waited for a response. There was the sound of movement, a muffled groan, then a grunt which he took as permission to enter.

He gingerly opened the door. "Morning. I've made breakfast if you feel like it."

It was only belatedly that Ianto realised his mistake. Jack was sprawled out on the bed, completely naked, the bed covers only barely covering his nether regions. Yawning widely and rubbing at his eyes, Jack stretched and pushed himself into an upright position, causing the bedding to slide away. Ianto stared, momentarily frozen with shock. Not sure what to do, he attempted to avert his eyes, but Jack chose that moment to reach down and scratch at his bare crotch, not showing the slightest hint of self-consciousness.

Ianto's eyes were drawn to Jack's substantial semi-erect cock, and he couldn't deny that it was an impressive sight. The entirety of Jack was impressive in actual fact. Smooth, evenly toned skin that was neither too tanned nor too pale complemented his impressive build and well-defined musculature. Ianto doubted that even the straightest, most self-assured of men would argue that Jack was an exceptional example of the masculine form, with a physique that many men could only dream of possessing, Ianto included.

Feeling a mixture of embarrassment and envy, Ianto schooled his features and shifted his gaze upwards to the relative safety of Jack's face.

Jack yawned again, running his fingers through his sleep bedraggled hair and working it into further disarray. "Um, okay. Thanks. I'll be out in a minute."

"Take your time." Ianto began to close the door, but Moses chose that moment to sprint into the room and jump up onto the bed.

Jack didn't hesitate to pull Moses into his arms and cuddle him against his bare chest. "Hey, little fella. How're you doing?"

Rolling his eyes at the enamoured feline, Ianto retreated and closed the door. Leaning back against it, he took a deep breath. He supposed that the unexpected sight of Jack's naked body had at least distracted him from the eyesore that was the rest of the room.

Jack joined him in the kitchen a few minutes later, dressed in faded jeans and a creased white t-shirt that had seen better days. His hair remained in disarray and he was still unshaven. "Wow, something smells good." He cleared his throat and his expression became almost contrite. "Look, Ianto, about last night..."

Ianto shook his head, just wanting to put the incident behind them. "It's fine, Jack. Don't worry about it."

"You're sure?" Jack asked, looking at him with a doubtful frown.

"Yep. Now, what would you like for breakfast?" Ianto pulled two plates from the oven where the food had been keeping warm, then turned to the toaster as two slices of bread popped out. "There's porridge, scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice, and coffee."

Jack licked his lips and grinned. "Can I have all of the above?"

Ianto soon discovered that Jack ate his food with an unrestrained exuberance that was strangely fascinating and more than a bit disturbing. He shovelled food into his mouth, talking as he chewed, demonstrating what could only be described as the most atrocious table manners Ianto had ever witnessed.

He nibbled on a slice of toast spread with a thin, even layer of strawberry jam spread neatly to the edges as he listened to Jack talk about his photography work. "Did you always want to be a photographer?" he asked when Jack paused to swallow a mouthful of coffee.

Jack shook his head. "Originally I'd planned to get into journalism, but I wasn't cut out for it. I've tried a few different things, but photography was the only one I ever felt really passionate about." He shrugged. "Life's too short not to do something you love. How about you? Did you always want to be a writer?"

Ianto thought about that for a moment. "Yeah, I think so. For a long time it was just a dream. Not something I thought I'd actually be able to have a proper go at. But then I got to a point where I could give it a go, at least for a bit. Once the idea had token hold, I knew I'd regret it if I didn't try. Lisa wasn't very happy about it." He cursed silently as soon as those last few words had slipped from his mouth. He hadn't meant to mention Lisa.

Jack's eyebrows lifted. "Who's Lisa?"

"My ex-girlfriend." Ianto looked down at the table and fiddled with his empty coffee cup. "She used to live here with me. We split up three and a half months ago. That's why I needed a new flatmate."

"How long were you together?" Jack asked.

Ianto sighed, forcing himself to look up and meet Jack's steady gaze. "Almost three years."

"That must have been hard," Jack said, his voice surprisingly quiet and sympathetic.

Ianto nodded, feeling his chest tighten. "Yeah... yeah, it was. Probably for the best though." He looked at Jack curiously. "And you? Has there been anyone serious?"

"No, not really. Maybe one. A guy I was seeing, but it didn't work out." A flicker of emotion passed over Jack's features, and Ianto wasn't sure whether it was guilt or regret. "He wanted more than I could give him."

He wanted to ask Jack what he meant by that, but he assumed that Jack didn't want to talk about his past any more than he wanted to talk about Lisa.

They finished eating, and Ianto began clearing the table. Jack picked up his coffee cup and jiggled it in front of Ianto's face. "Any chance of a refill?"

Ianto raised an eyebrow, seizing on the opportunity. "Any chance you'll clean up your pigsty of a room today?"

Jack laughed. "Bribery, huh? I like the way your mind works, Ianto Jones. Well, I suppose that's fair... quid pro quo."

Ianto hoped that meant yes. They seemed to be getting along quite well all things considered, and breakfast seemed to have been a success. But he was waiting for Jack to say something obnoxious, condescending, or inappropriate, and spoil it all.

As if on cue, a mischievous glimmer appeared in the other man's eyes. "By the way, did I tell you how adorable you are when you get all riled up?"

Ianto sighed. He hadn't had to wait very long.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again to everyone who so kindly reviewed the last chapter. And thank you to Prothrombintime for feedback and encouragement. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Three**

It was eight days later, and Ianto was having lunch with Tosh at their favourite café on Mermaid Quay. Although Ianto's limited budget didn't stretch to frequent meals out, he allowed himself the small treat of lunch with his best friend once a week. Tosh worked as a real estate agent – the best in Cardiff in Ianto's wholly unbiased opinion – and her office wasn't far away, so it was convenient for them to meet for lunch in the Cardiff Bay area. Plus, it was within walking distance from his flat when the weather was agreeable.

They hadn't spoken much in the past few days, and Tosh had naturally wanted to hear all about how things were going with Jack. By the time he'd eaten half of his chicken salad sandwich, Ianto had worked himself up into a full-blown rant. He'd just finished telling Tosh how Jack had used the last of his hair gel and hadn't bothered to tell him.

"I had to leave the flat with floppy hair to buy some more," he finished, scowling at the memory.

"Oh, no, the horror. That's awful, Ianto." Tosh's eyes twinkled with amusement, and she was clearly struggling to hold back a fit of hysterical laughter. "What did you do?"

Ianto huffed, even though he could almost see the funny side of it now. "Jack gave me a beanie to wear."

Tosh's eyes grew wide. "Did you wear it? And if you did, why didn't you send me a photo?"

"I wore it," Ianto admitted with a sigh. "Dunno why. I looked like I had a big woolly condom on my head. And no, you're not getting a photo."

Tosh lost her struggle and burst into laugher.

"And this morning," Ianto continued, nonplussed. "I discovered that he'd used up my entire supply of facial scrub. He said he liked how smooth it made his skin, so apparently he decided to use it all over his body. Do you know how expensive that stuff is?"

Tosh was still laughing. "I do, actually. Mary uses it too. She swears by it."

Ianto nodded sagely, taking a bite from his sandwich. "He's always using my toothpaste instead of his own, and he ruins the tube every time. I've started hiding my toothbrush. He'd probably use that too if he could get his hands on it. The man makes a mess wherever he goes, and he has no concept of privacy or personal space. It seems like every time I turn around, his naked body is being shoved in my face."

Tosh gasped and leaned in closer. "You've seen him naked?" Her voice had dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "What's he look like?"

Ianto shrugged, doing his best to maintain an air of nonchalance. "He seems to have all the usual bits. Looks like any other bloke I suppose."

Tosh rolled her eyes. "I seriously doubt that. I bet he's stunning."

Ianto refused to confirm what he knew to be the truth. The man was stunning, damn him. The smug git knew it too. He also wasn't going to admit that he'd forgotten to lock the bathroom one morning, the result being that Jack had caught him in the shower while indulging in some much-needed stress relief. As he'd frantically scrambled to cover himself up, the bastard had just grinned and asked if he needed a hand. Ianto hadn't forgotten to lock the bathroom door since. He was still mortified by the memory, and he hadn't attempted to masturbate again. He was starting to feel the strain.

"You're not jealous, are you?" Tosh had a cheeky glint in her eyes.

Ianto snorted with derision. "Of course not. He's an arrogant arse and a total nightmare. He even tried to use my coffee machine the other day." He didn't try to hide the outrage from his voice, cringing as he remembered the sight of Jack trying to pry the side panel off his beloved machine.

"Is he still in one piece?" Tosh asked, her tone and expression deadpan.

"Barely." Ianto produced an innocent smile. "I read him the riot act and told him if he ever touched it again, he'd be on decaf for a month." He narrowed his eyes at his friend. "It's all your fault, Tosh. Well yours and Mo's and Rose's. Mo adores him, the treacherous little bugger."

Shaking her head, Tosh gave him a gentle smile. "I'm sorry it's not working out as well as you'd hoped. But it's only been a week. It takes time, especially when it's someone you've only just met. I know it's not the same, but when Mary moved in with me, we fought all the time in the beginning. And usually it was about the silliest, most insignificant things."

Tosh paused, and Ianto was grateful that she hadn't pointed out that he and Lisa hadn't exactly been a picture of domestic harmony either. Still, it was hardly the same thing. Like Tosh and Mary, he and Lisa had been a couple, he'd loved her and had wanted to build a life with her.

Tosh gave him a searching look. "Jack must have some redeeming qualities?"

"Well, he's not a bad cook," Ianto admitted. In actual fact, at least from what he'd seen so far, Jack was an excellent cook, albeit a haphazard one who didn't seem to understand the concept of measuring or weighing ingredients. The problem was that Jack's culinary efforts seemed to decimate Ianto's kitchen in the process. "He made spaghetti and meatballs last night."

Tosh looked relieved. "There you go. That's one point in his favour."

"True," Ianto conceded grudgingly.

"Maybe he's just testing you," Tosh continued, tapping a finger on her plate and looking thoughtful. "Seeing what he can get away with. I think we can all use someone in our lives who challenges us at times. So maybe it's not such a bad thing. Who knows? Maybe you and Jack will grow to like each other. Stranger things have happened."

Ianto shook his head. He couldn't imagine him and Jack being anything more than civil at best. "I doubt it, Tosh."

He'd thought about telling Jack that they should cut their losses and accept that it wasn't going to work out. But there was no guarantee that he'd find anyone better. He just had to keep reminding himself that Jack was a means to an end and that it wouldn't be forever.

He sighed and stared out at the people wandering along the Quay as he continued to eat his sandwich.

###

Rhys barked out a laugh. "You won't get any sympathy from me, mate. You can be a bloody nightmare to live with and you bloody well know it."

Jack pouted, then shoved a handful of chips into his mouth. He and Rhys were having lunch at the pub down the street from the photography studio. He'd just vented his latest tirade about his new flatmate, amusing Rhys to no end, much to Jack's consternation.

"By the way, what's in the bag?" Rhys pointed to the small paper bag Jack had dropped onto the table when he'd arrived.

Jack sighed. "Facial scrub. I had to replace Ianto's. I'd seen him using the stuff, so I thought I'd try it out. It felt nice, so I kept going, using it all over. He went apoplectic when he found out I'd used it all up." He smirked at the memory, feeling only a little bit guilty. "His face turned bright red, and he kept opening and closing his mouth like a demented goldfish."

Rhys shook his head. "You're an idiot." He reached for the bag and peered inside. "Oh, yeah, I know this stuff. Gwen uses it too. She says it's the bee's knees. She's got me using it now, tells me I need to learn how to be a twenty-first century bloke." He rolled his eyes. "Jack, you know how much this stuff costs, yeah?"

"I do now," Jack grumbled, poking a piece of battered cod into his mouth.

Rhys burst into laughter again. "Ianto's put up with you for what, eight days so far? The way I see it, the man's a bloody saint."

Jack snorted with contempt. Ianto Jones was no saint. The man might have the whole butter wouldn't melt in his mouth thing going on with his boyish, almost angelic features, soulful blue eyes, gorgeous dark brown hair, and an adorable button-shaped nose that Jack had inexplicably wanted to press his lips to from the moment he'd first seen it, but Ianto was also a moody, insufferable, pretentious little prig.

He frowned as the rest of Rhys' words sunk in. "Am I really that bad?"

Rhys just gave him a pointed look in reply, then laughed again.

Jack huffed. "Fine. So I'm not the easiest person to live with. Neither is he. He's a pedantic, uptight, pompous twerp. He never stops cleaning, and he's always baking." He rolled his eyes in what he refused to admit was a very Ianto-like manner. "What's up with that? What self-respecting guy bakes all the time?"

"Hey, I like to bake," Rhys protested, narrowing his eyes. "It's relaxing. Plus, Gwen's useless when it comes to anything domestic. No clue how she coped before I came along." He frowned, seeming to mull that over for a moment. Then he shook his head. "So, Ianto's house proud. There's nothing wrong with that. And I don't know what you're complaining about. That muffin you gave me the other day was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted." He gave a wistful little sigh. "Hey, think you can smuggle out some more of them for me?"

Jack chuckled. "Yeah, I'll see what I can do." He had to grudgingly admit that Rhys had a point. Ianto's baked goods were almost as heavenly as his coffee. He narrowed his eyes. "When did you become head of the Ianto Jones fan club?"

Rhys shrugged. "He just seems like a nice bloke. He's a good-looking bastard too, even I can see that." He gave Jack a knowing look. "You haven't tried it on with him, have you?"

Jack replied with a vehement shake of his head. "Hell, no. I don't need that kind of grief. Besides, I doubt he'd even wrinkle the sheets."

He filled his mouth with chips again, suspecting that his statement was probably a lie. He'd already been on the receiving end of the Welsh fire simmering beneath that aloof, impeccably groomed exterior. He wondered if anyone had managed to unleash Ianto's full potential, bringing out all the passion and depth of emotion that he was certain the man possessed, but most of the time kept tightly contained.

It didn't help that since walking in on Ianto in the shower, he couldn't seem to erase the image of that slick, delicious body from his mind. He'd barely caught a glimpse, but it had been enough to captivate his imagination and fuel his fantasies. His crotch became uncomfortably tight as he recalled pale wet skin complemented by long limbs and a lean torso adorned with a tantalising expanse of dark hair. The glance of what he'd seen wrapped in Ianto's tight fist hadn't disappointed him either.

Jack swallowed hard, forcing the thoughts aside before he embarrassed himself. "He says he's straight," he added as an afterthought.

Rhys was looking at him curiously. "You don't believe him?"

Jack shrugged. "Not sure. I can't get a good read on him. But if I believed in the stereotypes, I'd have to say he's in major denial."

"Aren't you... you know... meant to have that gaydar thing?" Rhys had leaned in closer and lowered his voice.

Jack chuckled. "Well, it's not always one-hundred percent reliable, Rhys."

He smiled at his friend. Rhys had never had a problem with Jack's sexuality, and he'd always been nothing but accepting and supportive. But Jack knew that Rhys didn't really understand. Rhys couldn't comprehend how one man could find another man attractive. Nor did he understand that Jack could find people of both sexes attractive. They simply had different wiring, but they both accepted that and it had never been an issue. Rhys was a traditional sort of guy, as straight as they come, and he knew who he was. In due course, Rhys would marry Gwen, they'd pop out a couple of kids, and they'd be happy and content. Jack respected that, even though it wasn't the sort of life he could imagine wanting for himself. Sometimes he envied Rhys for being so certain of what he wanted.

"Hmm. Maybe you're not Ianto's type. Judging by that flat of his, he's a man with exacting standards." Rhys shrugged. "He probably thinks you're ugly."

"Then he needs his head examined. I'm the best looking guy he's ever likely to meet." Jack scowled at his friend. "And what do you mean not his type? I'm everybody's type!"

Rhys grinned. "Not mine, mate. But at least we know that living with Ianto isn't affecting your self-esteem." He chewed for a minute, looking thoughtful. "I wouldn't try anything, Jack. Reckon you'd be lucky to come out of it in one piece if you do." He grinned again, apparently amused by the notion of Ianto unleashing his wrath on Jack. "Ianto might look innocent enough, but something tells me he doesn't take shit from anyone."

Jack had to admit that Rhys was probably right.

###

"Hey, sport. What'cha up to?"

Ianto cringed and paused the DVD, watching as Jack dumped his rucksack unceremoniously on the floor, kicked off his shoes, then flung his jacket at the coat hooks by the door. Jack sauntered over to the sofa, collapsing down beside him.

"Boy, have I had a day." Jack plucked the remote from Ianto's hand and resumed playback of the film. "Didn't know you're a Bond fan. Oh, this is one of my favourites. Can we go back to the start?"

Ianto yanked the remote back and paused the film again. "You like Bond?" he asked with surprise, shifting to put some space between them.

From what he'd seen of Jack's viewing habits, the man's tastes in films and television were rather unrefined. Case in point was when Rhys and Owen had come over several nights earlier for a Die Hard marathon. Owen Harper had proven to be even more insufferable than Jack. Ianto had taken an almost instant dislike to the rude, wiry Londoner, especially after he'd given Ianto the nickname of 'teaboy', apparently in honour of his coffee making abilities.

"Sure," Jack replied, looking at him as if he was an idiot. "Doesn't everyone?"

Ianto considered that for a moment. Lisa hadn't. Tosh was fairly indifferent. So was Mary. Actually, come to think of it, he'd never known anyone who shared his love of all things Bond.

"Didn't think it would be highbrow enough for you," Jack added, his expression turning curious.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ianto asked with a scowl.

"Hey, don't get on your high horse again." Jack shrugged. "I'm just saying that you're full of surprises."

Ianto stared at him, trying to decide whether or not he'd just been insulted.

Jack climbed to his feet. "I'm going to get changed. Don't start the movie again until I get back. Oh, and can you make some coffee? I'd do it myself, but..." He trailed off, leaving the threat hanging in the air.

Ianto sighed and stood up as well. "Yes, all right. And for the record..." He paused and narrowed his eyes at the other man. "My name is Ianto. That's two simple syllables. Yan-Toe." He enunciated his name slowly, as if speaking to a small child. "Even you should be able to manage that. It's not buddy, pal, kiddo, sport, or champ. And it's most certainly not Yan." He shuddered at the hated abbreviation of his name that Jack had used a couple of times. "Got it?"

Jack turned to stand in front of him and they stared hard at each other. Then Jack grinned, and before Ianto could stop him, Jack reached up and ruffled his hair. "Sure. Whatever you say, tiger."

"Wanker," Ianto muttered under his breath, trying to fix his hair as he glared at Jack's retreating form. "And where's my honey, macadamia, and strawberry facial scrub?" he demanded, rolling his eyes at himself.

Jack turned around for a second time and moved over to where he'd left his rucksack by the door. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. You know this stuff is a scam, right? You can get products at Tesco for only a few quid that are just as good." He retrieved a small paper bag and tossed it to Ianto.

"No, they're not," Ianto retorted, catching the bag and looking inside to check its contents. "This is better. Anyway, you seemed to like it."

Jack laughed. "True. And it did make my skin all silky smooth." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before disappearing into his room.

Ianto muttered another curse as he headed for the coffee machine. He considered it a minor miracle that he'd lasted this long without attempting to murder Jack in his sleep.

It was scarcely two minutes later when Jack returned, his work clothes exchanged for jeans and a t-shirt. "What's this?" he asked, waving a dark blue bathrobe at him.

Ianto turned to face him. "It's a present. I bought it for you today."

Jack just looked at him blankly.

Ianto rolled his eyes. "It's a bathrobe, Jack."

"I know what it is. What I don't understand is what I'm meant to do with it." Jack scowled at the robe in his outstretched hand as if its mere existence was a personal affront.

"You wear it so I don't have to look at your naked arse anymore," Ianto explained evenly. "Or any other naked bits of you, for that matter."

Jack gaped at him, his features filling with outrage. "You do know I could have people lined up down the street just to get a glimpse of this body. And what's wrong with my arse?"

Ianto shrugged. "I've seen better."

"Where?" Jack demanded, narrowing his eyes.

It was all Ianto could do to keep a straight face. "Look, Jack, just wear the robe whenever you're not otherwise dressed. Please."

"And if I don't?" Jack sounded almost petulant.

"Then you're cut off." Ianto held his challenging glare. "No more coffee. No more cake or muffins."

Jack opened his mouth, closed it again, huffed loudly, then stomped off.

Ianto grinned with triumph as he returned his attention to making their coffees.

To his surprise, they got through the entire film without any further antagonism, Jack having devoured three of the four muffins that Ianto had brought out on a plate with their mugs of coffee. Cake seemed to have a remarkable calming effect on the man.

"So, what's for dinner?" Jack asked, turning off the DVD as the credits began to roll and turning his head to look at him.

Relaxed as he was, Ianto felt his hackles begin to rise again. "I'm not your bloody slave, Jack."

"Never said you were," Jack acknowledged in a calm voice. "But it's your turn."

Ianto rubbed a hand over his face. "Well, I'm not in the mood to cook tonight. If you're hungry, just open a tin of something, or get something out of the freezer."

Jack screwed up his face, looking less than thrilled with either suggestion. "I can make us some dinner."

Ianto shook his head. "I'm not in the mood to clean up after you either."

Jack made a growling sound, an obvious indication of his irritation, but Ianto didn't care. "Fine. How about some take-away? Chinese?" Not waiting for an answer, Jack stood up and wandered off, returning a minute later with the menu and his mobile phone. He sat down again, waving the menu in front of Ianto's face. "What do you want?"

Ianto pushed Jack's hand away. "Whatever you like."

"Oh, no you don't." Jack gave him a not so gentle prod on the chest. "You'll hate whatever I choose, then you'll bitch at me all night."

Ianto wanted to vehemently object, but he had to admit that was probably true. He grabbed the menu and told Jack what he wanted, then listened as Jack phoned in their order, making sure he got it right.

Once he was finished, Jack nudged Ianto's knee with his own. "How about we watch another Bond movie?"

Despite himself, Ianto smiled and nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

A slightly early post this week. My thanks as always to Prothrombintime for so graciously providing feedback and encouragement.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Jack turned off the television as the closing credits began to roll up the screen and placed the remote on the coffee table, being careful not to make any noise. He reclined back into the sofa, tilting his head to look at Ianto. Curled up in his usual corner of the sofa, the Welshman was sound asleep, his lips slightly parted, the even rhythm of his breathing punctuated by soft, almost inaudible snoring.

Despite himself, Jack felt a soft smile creep across his lips. The man could be a monumental pain in the arse, but seeing him like this, his features relaxed and peaceful, with no hint of a furrow or frown marring the smooth skin, he looked so young and innocent. He looked far younger than his twenty-six years, and not for the first time, Jack couldn't help but be struck by the young Welshman's beauty. In fact, right at that moment, he would have been hard pressed to think of a more beautiful sight.

Shifting a little closer, he traced his eyes over the contours of Ianto's strong cheekbones and jawline, taking time to examine the pale skin accentuated by a hint of dark stubble. Ianto's short brown hair, a shade or two darker than Jack's, and usually impeccably groomed, was in slight disarray with several wayward tufts sticking up at odd angles.

He studied the full, slightly down-turned lips, trying to imagine what it would be like to feel the softness and warmth of them against his own, to taste and explore, to draw the bottom lip into his mouth and caress it with his tongue. As his gaze moved downwards, he admired the long column of Ianto's throat, then turned his attention to the patch of exposed flesh at its base. Ianto usually wore a t-shirt beneath whatever else he was wearing, but tonight he wasn't. Instead, with the top two buttons of his shirt open, Jack was treated to a sliver of bare flesh and a smattering of dark chest hair that thinned to a few curling strands at the hollow of Ianto's throat. Jack imagined burying his face in that chest he'd only caught a glimpse of that one time in the shower. He imagined exploring every inch of it with his lips, teeth, and tongue. He thought about drawing each of Ianto's soft nipples into his mouth and teasing them until they hardened with arousal.

Jack swallowed and took a deep breath. He pulled away a little, but not before a hint of Ianto's aftershave reached his nostrils. The scent was a mixture of spice and musk, complemented by a dark, woody undertone. Subtle and masculine, it was alluring and yet comforting.

He closed his eyes, silently berating himself. Developing an unhealthy attraction to his disagreeable flatmate was the last thing he needed. Besides, Ianto was straight, even if Jack personally thought that the jury was still out on delivering the final verdict.

It had been just over a month since he'd moved in, and they'd eventually settled into an uneasy truce of mutual toleration, both seeming to realise that they didn't have to like each other to successfully live together. The fact that they'd managed not to kill each other seemed to bode well for the continuation of their living arrangement, even if there had been a few close calls along the way. The bathrobe rule still chafed, but he grudgingly wore the garment when necessary, knowing that Ianto's threat hadn't been an idle one. Not that he understood what Ianto's problem was. They were both men after all, with the same body parts, and he knew for a fact that Ianto didn't have anything to be ashamed about. Rhys and Owen had never been hung up about the three of them seeing each other naked. Of course, he'd never admit to Ianto that the bathrobe was soft and comfortable and felt good against his skin. Plus, the deep blue colour complemented his eyes rather nicely.

When Ianto wasn't baking, cleaning, obsessing over his finances, or berating Jack for his latest infraction, he seemed to be focused on his writing. Jack hadn't been able to drag any details out of the Welshman about his new book, but he'd taken the time to read the one he'd already had published. He'd discovered an intriguing and well-written tale of a post-apocalyptic world where a colony of human clones lived on Flat Holm island. Given Ianto's penchant for James Bond, Jack had half expected a generic spy thriller, but instead he'd found a story that was far more unique and memorable. The enigmatic Ianto Jones continued to surprise him.

Then there were evenings like this, sharing an amiable meal, sitting on the sofa and watching a movie or two, having found some common ground in a mutual love of both Bond and science-fiction. Despite feeling a bit pathetic sitting at home with his flatmate on a Friday night, he had to admit that it was kind of nice. With Owen and Rhys busy more often than not with their own lives, he often found himself at a lose end in the evenings. It was one of the reasons he'd decided to move in with Ianto instead of getting a place of his own. He'd never had to live alone, and he didn't relish the idea of coming home at the end of the day to a lonely, empty flat. He just wasn't someone who enjoyed solitude or having too much time with only his thoughts for company. Even living with a belligerent, neat-freak housemate seemed like a much better option. And then there was Moses, who he had quickly grown to adore. He'd never had the opportunity to have a pet, so that was kind of nice as well.

He knew he should get out again and find someone new to hook up with and have some casual, no-strings-attached fun. It had been almost six months since Tommy and it was time to move on. If he'd made a different choice, he could have been building a life with Tommy now. Tommy was sweet and funny and loving; a gentle soul with a selfless nature, a kind heart, and always eager to please. But while Jack had tried to keep things casual and uncomplicated, it had soon become apparent that Tommy wanted a conventional life. He wanted commitment, a nice house in a quiet street with a garden and a picket fence, and eventually, a family of his own. He was been looking for someone to share his life with. There was a part of Jack that wanted at least some of that too, but when Tommy had suggested getting a house together, all Jack could think about was being trapped and losing his independence, the rest of his life mapped out before him. It had left him feeling suffocated and twisted in knots. That was the sort of life that ended with anger, disillusionment and resentment, just like it had for his parents who had divorced before Jack's tenth birthday. He hadn't been ready to contemplate settling down, having only just turned twenty-nine years old. He wasn't sure if he would ever be ready. So he'd walked away and broken Tommy's heart. He'd broken his own a little as well.

Ianto made a soft snuffling sound, interrupting Jack's thoughts. Opening his eyes, Jack glanced down at his watch and discovered it was well past midnight. He gave Ianto's shoulder a nudge. "Hey, sleeping beauty, time to go to bed."

It took a few moments for Ianto to rouse, and Jack grinned as sleepy blue eyes blinked up at him. Ianto uncurled himself and stretched out his long limbs. "Sorry," he muttered. "Didn't mean to fall asleep."

Jack chuckled. "Well, I've got to say, I've had better Friday night dates. Plus, you were snoring."

Ianto narrowed his eyes and looked indignant. "I don't snore."

"Yeah, you do. It was kind of adorable though." Jack continued to grin. His day didn't seem complete unless he'd managed to get a rise out of the other man.

Ianto huffed, gave Jack a final glower, then climbed to his feet and scooped up Moses from where he was in the process of uncurling himself at the other end of the sofa. "I'm going to bed," he mumbled, checking the locks on the front door before heading towards his bedroom. "Night."

"Goodnight," Jack called after him. "Sweet dreams."

###

Jack wasn't a morning person. Unless he had somewhere he needed to be, he tended to linger in bed, taking his time to ease himself into the new day as his mind shrugged off the last vestiges of sleep. Ianto was always up before him, following his regimented routine with an annoying degree of energy and efficiency.

That morning, however, Jack had woken early, and the sound of movement in the bathroom informed his sleep-fogged mind that Ianto was already awake and beginning his day. He was about to roll over and go back to sleep when he recalled what day it was. Saturday. He smiled to himself as an idea formed, and deciding it was one worthy of forgoing further sleep, he dragged himself out of bed with a groan. He reached for the bathrobe he didn't despise nearly as much as he pretended to, pulling it on as he yawned.

He dropped his bombshell while munching on his bowl of cereal, uncertain if he'd managed to hide his amusement given the suspicious looks he'd been getting from Ianto since making his earlier than usual appearance. "I'm coming with you to the supermarket today," he announced around a mouthful of cereal.

Ianto froze from where he was standing in front of the open refrigerator, doing an inventory of its contents. He turned and stared at Jack, blinking several times. "What? No, you don't need to do that. Just write down whatever you want on the list and I'll get it for you."

Jack knew Ianto's routine well by now. Early every Saturday morning, without fail, Ianto trekked off in his little Audi to the nearby Asda to do their major supermarket shop for the week. A list was kept in the top kitchen drawer and all Jack had to do was write down anything special he wanted and Ianto took care of its procurement. The younger man had never indicated any dissatisfaction with the arrangement and Jack hadn't bothered to question it, figuring he had better things to do. He doubted that Ianto would allow him to go to the supermarket unsupervised anyway.

He shook his head and shovelled more cereal into his mouth. He'd known that Ianto would be less than thrilled with the suggestion. "I'm going to come with you and give you a hand. It's not fair that you have to do it all on your own."

Ianto blinked again. "I don't mind. Really."

Jack struggled not to grin. Ianto remained perfectly still, but his jaw twitched, and Jack could almost see the man squirming as he tried to contrive a polite way of rejecting the offer.

Jack finished off his coffee, dumping his empty bowl and mug in the sink. He patted Ianto on the back as he left the kitchen. "Just give me a minute to get dressed, then we can head out. I'll even drive."

Jack's black SUV was a stark contrast to Ianto's compact blue Audi, and Jack knew that Ianto didn't approve of the imposing and admittedly ostentatious vehicle. But Jack wasn't a small man and he liked to be comfortable when he was driving around. Being sandwiched into a sardine can of a car wasn't his idea of a good time, even if it meant being in close quarters with an attractive Welshman who also happened to smell amazing.

He retrieved the biggest trolley on offer as they entered the vast, brightly lit store, a broad smile spreading across his face. He felt a bit like a kid in a toy shop. With so much on offer, he'd always found these places exotic and exciting, and he realised that he'd been missing the experience since moving in with Ianto. Although he'd taken over supermarket duty when Rhys had moved out, knowing he'd starve if it was left up to Owen, he'd never really had to fend for himself on a regular basis. Rhys might have ranted a lot, but he had always been the most domestic out of the three of them, and he'd kept their kitchen well-stocked.

Jack glanced at Ianto, who was walking beside him, shoulders stiff, list clutched in his right hand, his mouth set in a tight, grim line. He had the air of a man walking to his execution.

"I love these places," Jack announced with glee, deciding this was well worth the sacrifice of a couple of hours of sleep. "So, where do we start?"

Before Ianto had a chance to reply, Jack spotted an enormous display of his favourite brand of crisps. He made a beeline towards the display, noting they were on sale. He loved a bargain, and he began loading up their trolley, picking out a selection of different flavours. "Ooh! Chilli flavour." He grinned at Ianto as he dropped two more bags into the trolley.

"Jack, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Ianto had started grabbing bags from the trolley and putting them back on the shelf. "We don't have the cupboard space for all of this."

Jack grabbed back the bag of chilli-flavoured crisps. "But these are a new flavour. And they're on sale."

"Get those and put some of the others back then." Ianto continued emptying the trolley, undeterred. "You're not saving money if you buy twice as much as you normally would. Pick out four bags you want and put the rest back."

Jack was about to protest further when he spotted a table piled high with trays of freshly baked jam donuts. He quickly settled on his selection of crisps and headed for the donuts. He ignored the sound of Ianto groaning behind him.

Jack wasn't an idiot and it wasn't long before he'd devised a winning strategy for getting what he wanted. He'd grab twice the quantity of something he had his eye on, knowing that Ianto would demand he'd put at least half of it back. Alternatively, he'd choose something outrageous that he didn't want so that Ianto would relent on his next selection. Sometimes he would employed both strategies simultaneously. By the time they'd traversed the entire store and Ianto had crossed nearly everything off the shopping list, their trolley was on the brink of overflowing and the Welshman looked like he was two seconds away from throttling him. Jack was having a wonderful time and feeling rather pleased with himself.

"Tell me again why we need so much loo paper," Ianto grumbled, his eyes only just visible over the five bulk packs of two-ply in his arms as they headed towards the nearest checkout.

"It's on sale. I'm saving us money. Plus, it's softer than the stuff you normally buy." Jack smiled at the elderly woman in front of them, who was staring at them and their mountainous trolley with wide eyes. "Isn't this place fantastic?" he proclaimed, winking at her, then adding, "I love shopping here."

The lady blushed and laughed, and Jack didn't miss Ianto's exaggerated eye-roll. Ianto shifted his hold on the toilet paper until his entire face was visible. "I can't take him anywhere," he told the lady with a put-upon sigh, but giving her an impish grin.

The lady gave Jack a knowing look, then offered Ianto a sympathetic smile. "Oh, I know just what you mean, dear. My Alwyn is terrible. I have to leave him at home."

Ianto's eyes widened and it took all of Jack's self-control not to burst into laughter. The lady probably thought they were a nice gay couple, doing their weekly shop together. He was going to enjoy teasing Ianto about that later.

Before he could think more about new ways to torment his flatmate, the colourful display of chocolate bars just in front of the checkout caught his attention. He was delighted to find that many of them were also on sale. He grabbed a selection including Kit Kats, Mars bars, and Milky Ways, then remembered that Ianto seemed to like Turkish Delights, so he grabbed a couple of those as well.

Ianto gave him a withering glare. "You'll ruin your teeth."

Jack snapped his fingers. "Oh, that reminds me. I need a new toothbrush. Back in a sec." He jostled past Ianto, almost sending the tower of toilet paper flying, and headed off in what he hoped was the right direction.

Ianto was unloading their trolley when Jack returned, new toothbrush in hand along with three tubes of toothpaste he'd spotted in a buy two, get one free deal. Ianto was always complaining about Jack messing up his tube of toothpaste, so he'd figured that a few spare tubes wouldn't go astray.

He noticed that Ianto was chewing on his lower lip as he watched the tally of their purchases continue to climb. When the young girl announced the total, Jack handed over his credit card, brushing Ianto's aside. It seemed only fair since a large chunk of their purchases were his.

"I'll get it. You can pay me for your share later." Jack knew that Ianto would work it all out and divide up their spending fairly. He might not like the man very much, but he'd never had cause to doubt his honesty.

Ianto nodded. "All right. Um... thanks."

"Well, that was fun!" Jack declared as they negotiated their way through the growing throng of shoppers and headed towards the SUV. They'd had to grab a second trolley to transport all of their bags out to the car, so they were now pushing one each.

Ianto flashed him a dark glare. "More like a bloody nightmare. Look at all this stuff. It's ridiculous."

"So, we won't have to buy as much next week." Jack plastered on his most charming smile. "Come on, Ianto, admit it. You enjoyed yourself."

Ianto replied with a noncommittal grunt. Jack grinned, giving Ianto's shoulder a playful nudge.

As they loaded up the SUV, Jack decided that it was probably better not to tell Ianto that from now on he intended to accompany the younger man to the supermarket every week.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks as always to Prothrombintime. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Five**

As it turned out, Jack wasn't able to accompany Ianto to the supermarket the following week. Rhys had needed his help with a photo shoot, so he'd spent most of his Saturday at the studio. However, the evening promised to be interesting as they'd been invited to dinner by Toshiko and her partner, Mary. He hadn't yet met the elusive Mary, but from the little he'd managed to wrangle out of Ianto, she sounded like quite the little spitfire. Ianto, on the other hand, didn't seem to be looking forward to the evening at all.

It was almost five p.m. when Jack entered the flat, having stopped in at the pub with Rhys for a quick pint before heading home. As Jack discarded his coat and shoes, Moses appeared from the hallway leading to their bedrooms, trotted up to him, and rubbed against his legs by way of greeting.

Smiling to himself, Jack picked up the feline and kissed the top of his head, holding him close to his chest and scratching between his ears. "Hey, buddy," he murmured, heading towards the kitchen. "How's my favourite little guy?"

He was unsurprised to find Ianto in the kitchen, pulling a tray of muffins from the oven, clearly in the midst of one of his baking frenzies. With his crisp white chef's apron over his jeans and t-shirt, the Welshman made an adorable sight, and Jack stared for a moment, enjoying the view.

"Having fun?" he teased, causing Ianto to look up from where he was transferring the muffins onto a cooling rack. "By the way, you've got flour on your nose." He put Moses down and reached for one of the freshly baked muffins.

Ianto frowned and rubbed at his nose, then slapped Jack's hand away. "Careful, they're hot." He pointed to another batch sitting on a cooling rack at the other end of the kitchen's granite worktop. "Those should be cool enough. But only have one or you'll spoil your appetite."

Jack pouted, but did as he was told. "What time do we need to leave?" he asked around a mouthful of chocolate muffin, leaning back against the sink and watching Ianto prepare another batch to go into the oven.

"Tosh said to be there at seven. We should leave by quarter to. Their flat's not far, less than a ten minute drive." Ianto paused and looked at Jack with worried, intent eyes. "Promise me you'll behave yourself tonight."

Jack feigned a look of outrage. "I think I should be offended. I always behave myself."

"It's not a joke, Jack." Ianto sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "It's just... um... well, Mary has always had a bit of a crush on me." A puzzled frown creased his forehead, as if he couldn't fathom how it was possible that Mary could find him attractive. "She's harmless enough and she's completely devoted to Tosh, so it's not really a problem. But she's a shameless flirt, and I try not to encourage her."

Jack felt his eyebrows lift up. It seemed that the evening might be more interesting than he'd anticipated. But he decided to take pity on the younger man. He gave Ianto a broad grin. "You don't need to worry, Ianto. I'll be a perfect gentleman."

The sceptical look he received suggested that Ianto didn't believe him for a moment.

Just under a couple of hours later Jack was standing in his bedroom, showered, shaved, and primped. He tossed aside his bathrobe and pulled on a clean pair of boxer briefs as he tried to decide what to wear. His wardrobe was relatively simple and modest, perhaps even somewhat boring. Although he had clothes for just about any occasion, he tended towards understated clothing that complemented rather than competed with his stature and natural good looks. He settled on sleek, black trousers and a matching belt, pairing them with a black shirt with a subtle grey vertical stripe. A fitted black leather jacket that he kept for special occasions, styled in such a way as to look both classic and contemporary, completed his outfit.

After scrounging through his drawers for a pair of clean socks, he retrieved his black leather dress shoes, finding them tucked neatly in the bottom of his wardrobe and looking shinier than he'd ever seen them. They almost sparkled, and he was sure they hadn't looked that good even when they'd been brand new. He shook his head with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

After a final check in the bathroom mirror, he wandered across to Ianto's room. The Welshman was wearing charcoal-grey trousers and a deep red dress shirt, his stylish black leather shoes gleaming every bit as much as Jack's. A matching jacket was laid out on the bed, and Ianto was standing in front of the full-length mirror next to his wardrobe, a frown on his face as he held a red and grey striped tie up against himself.

"You're wearing a suit?" Jack asked in surprise, standing in the doorway and leaning against the frame.

Ianto glanced up at him, then nodded. "I miss wearing them. Don't get the chance since I gave up my job."

Jack had only ever seen Ianto in jeans and other casual clothes. He always looked good, well put together and groomed to perfection, but seeing him like this was something else entirely. As his eyes roamed over the length of Ianto's body, Jack felt his mouth go dry. He swallowed hard and moved to stand behind the other man.

"Don't wear a tie." Jack slid the tie from Ianto's hands and tossed it onto the bed. He leaned in closer, almost pressing himself against Ianto's back and brought his hands up to the collar of Ianto's shirt. He could feel Ianto's warmth and smell his intoxicating scent. Their eyes met in the mirror, and Ianto was looking at him with an expression that seemed both curious and wary.

"Here," Jack said softly, unfastening the top button of Ianto's shirt and loosening the collar, then proceeding to unfasten the next button down. His fingertips grazed Ianto's skin for just a moment, teasing the strands of silky dark hair now on display. Resisting the almost overwhelming urge to slide his hand beneath the soft material of Ianto's shirt, Jack had to force himself to break contact. He made a final adjustment to the shirt collar, smiling as he examined his efforts. "There, like that. Show off a bit of that sexy chest."

He reached for Ianto's suit jacket and helped him to put it on. After adjusting the shoulders and smoothing down the lapels, he remained close behind Ianto as he admired the end result.

Ianto tugged at his sleeves and began reaching up to his open shirt collar, but Jack caught his hands and pushed them back down. Ianto's eyes widened, but he didn't protest further. "Don't," Jack whispered against his ear. "You look incredible, Ianto. I love the suit."

He smiled at Ianto again, a soft smile that was so unlike his usual blinding grin, and Ianto offered him a small, tentative smile in return.

Ianto turned away from the mirror to face him, taking a step back. "Er... thanks." His gaze moved over Jack's body. "You... uh... you look very handsome, Jack."

Inexplicably pleased by the hesitant, softly-spoken compliment, Jack spun himself around with dramatic flair to give Ianto a three-sixty degree view. "Yeah?"

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Yeah. But don't let it go to your head. Lord knows, the last thing your ego needs is more stroking." He picked up the discarded tie and put it back in the wardrobe, then fussed with smoothing down the bed.

Jack laughed, giving Ianto a suggestive leer when their eyes met again. "Well, I'm sure I can find some other things that could use stroking instead."

Before Ianto could offer a retort, no doubt intending to berate him for being lewd and inappropriate, Jack steered the younger man out of the room and flicked off the light. "Come on, hot stuff. Let's go."

###

The door swung open to reveal a beautiful young woman with a short bob of sleek blonde hair, smooth flawless skin, shrewd blue eyes accentuated by dark make-up, and full lips that curved upwards in a sensual, teasing smile. Tall, slim, and dressed in tight dark trousers and a figure-hugging, low-cut blue top, it seemed that Mary lived up to her reputation.

"Hello, gorgeous." Mary pulled Ianto across the threshold and planted a kiss on his cheek. "You're right on time."

Jack stepped inside and watched as Ianto gave her a polite smile. Mary's gaze had been focused on Ianto, and she'd shown no hint of subtlety as she looked him up and down with obvious appreciation. But now she was regarding Jack with undisguised intrigue.

"Hi, Mary. How are you?" Ianto gestured at Jack as Mary closed the door behind them. "This is Jack Harkness. Jack, Mary Adams."

"So, you're the mysterious Jack?" Mary's English accent had a playful, seductive lilt. "Tosh told me you're a dreamboat, but I had no idea you would be so good-looking. Wow, you could be a film star."

Jack beamed at her, but he didn't miss Ianto's eye-roll. "I get that a lot. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mary."

Mary laughed. "Oh, I bet you do. I'm so glad you could both make it tonight. I've been looking forward to it." She ushered them into the flat. "Make yourselves at home. Tosh will be out in a second. I just need to check on the food."

Ianto handed over the bottle of red wine they'd brought with them, and Mary took it from him with a smile. "Thanks, sweetheart. You didn't need to bring anything, you know that."

Ianto shrugged. "I wanted to. It's from both of us."

They made their way into the flat as Jack looked around with interest. The flat was spacious and inviting, with one large rectangular area for the living room and eating area. The kitchen was tucked into a corner at one end and double-doors at the other side appeared to lead to a bedroom and adjoining bathroom. The furnishings were contemporary, but soft and comfortable in appearance, everything in warm, muted tones. Apart from the subtle touch of Toshiko's Japanese influence with some of the decorations, it wasn't that dissimilar in style to Ianto's flat. Both Ianto and Tosh had great taste, and Jack suspected they'd helped each other with decorating their respective homes. While clean and neat, this flat had a more lived in appearance than Ianto's. Books and DVD's were arranged somewhat haphazardly on shelves, a collection of magazines was scattered on the coffee table in front of the sofa, and a collection of remotes and game controllers littered one end of the glass top of the entertainment unit.

Toshiko appeared from the bedroom, dressed in an elegant lilac silk skirt and matching blouse, her dark hair pulled back, and her features relaxed and radiant. "Ianto. Jack." She smiled at them both, giving Ianto a hug and reaching up to kiss Jack's cheek. "How are you? You both look gorgeous."

Jack grinned. "So do you, Toshiko." He whistled appreciatively. "Wow!"

Tosh blushed, but seemed pleased by his compliment. She gave Ianto a teasing grin. "So, obviously you two haven't killed each other yet."

Jack chuckled. "Not yet," he replied as Ianto muttered, "Still thinking about it."

Tosh laughed, shaking her head. "I'll get us some drinks. What would you like?"

Jack was the centre of attention throughout most of their meal, as he'd expected. Much as he enjoyed it, he felt a little guilty for doing most of the talking. However, Ianto seemed content to let him have the limelight. Mary had wanted to know all about his work as a photographer, where he'd studied and lived, if he'd travelled much, how he'd ended up in Cardiff, and anything else she could get him to reveal about himself. In turn, she'd talked about her catering business and her passion for food.

She sighed as she sipped at her wine. "It's great that you're doing what you love, Jack, but it seems a shame that you're behind the camera instead of in front of it."

Jack shrugged. "I did some modelling work when I was younger. Not anything special, but it was fun at the time and helped to pay the bills. But it wasn't something I could see myself doing in the long-term. It didn't challenge or excite me." He smiled. "I'm doing what I love, just like you and Tosh and Ianto."

"Absolutely," Tosh agreed. "We're all very lucky. I love working in real estate. I can't imagine wanting to do anything else. And Ianto's going to be a famous author one day." She gave Ianto a playful smile. "Just don't forget about us when you're rich and travelling the world to meet all of your adoring fans."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Can you really see me doing that, Tosh? If I can somehow manage to make a living out of writing, that's all I want."

"I'm sure you will, Ianto." Jack smiled across the table at him. Regardless of their mutual antagonism, he admired Ianto's courage in taking the chance to pursue his dream. He really did hope that Ianto succeeded. "I read your first book and it was fantastic."

The shocked look on Ianto's face was almost comical. "You read it? You never told me."

Jack shrugged. "I wasn't sure you'd want to know."

"What's your new book about, Ianto?" Mary interjected. "Tosh hasn't told me anything."

"That's because I don't know anything," Tosh added, giving Ianto an accusing look. "He's being very mysterious and secretive about it."

Jack shook his head when Tosh turned her gaze to him and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "He won't tell me anything either."

Ianto looked undeterred as three pairs of eyes settled on him. "You'll all get to read it when it's finished." The steely look in his eyes suggested that no amount of pleading or coercion would dissuade him.

"Well, patience is a virtue." Tosh touched Ianto's forearm and gave it a squeeze. "And I know it will be worth the wait." She turned her attention to Jack, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "So, Jack... Ianto told me that you went to the supermarket together last weekend?"

Ianto groaned and buried his face in his hands as Jack laughed. "Oh, yeah. That was fun." Grinning at Ianto, Jack regaled them with the tale, embellishing it with a liberal dose of artistic license. By the time he was finished, Tosh and Mary were laughing uproariously and even Ianto had a smile on his face.

After a delicious mushroom risotto for starters, followed by poached salmon in a rich, tangy sauce, dessert consisted of a smorgasbord of mini baked cheesecakes with various toppings. Jack was on his fourth when Mary turned the conversation back towards him.

"I still can't believe you're single, Jack. How is that possible?"

"I know, it's a crime, isn't it? I mean, look at me. I should have suitors lining the streets." Jack produced a dramatic pout. Then, turning serious again, he smiled and shook his head. "There was someone for a while, but things didn't work out. Anyway, I'm not sure I'm the type of guy to ever settle down. Coming from a broken home, I suppose I find it hard to believe in anything that lasts. Happily-ever-after seems kind of unrealistic to me."

Tosh frowned, glancing at Mary. "But if the right person comes along?"

"Maybe." Jack shrugged. "I dunno, Tosh. Maybe when I'm older I'll feel differently. Somehow, I doubt it though." He smiled at both of them. "I'm not saying it can't work for other people, just that I'm not sure it will happen for me."

He glanced at Ianto and found the younger man looking back at him with something akin to empathy in his eyes.

"Damn," Mary exclaimed. "Here I was thinking that you and Ianto would make the most perfectly adorable couple." Her lips curled with a playful grin. "You know, the two of you look amazing together."

Ianto spluttered, his face turning red as Tosh swatted Mary's arm. "Mary!"

"Mary fancies herself as a matchmaker," she explained to Jack in an apologetic tone, glaring at the other woman. "Not that she's ever had any actual success."

Mary shrugged, looking unrepentant. "Can't blame a girl for trying."

Jack chuckled, while Ianto looked like he was hoping the floor would open up and swallow him whole. Despite the humour of the situation, Jack remembered standing with Ianto in front of the mirror earlier that evening. As ridiculous as the notion was, he had to admit that they looked stunning together. He couldn't resist the urge to have a little fun at the other man's expense.

"I can't argue with you there, Mary. What do you say, Ianto?" Jack winked at the other man. "I've always fancied a spring wedding myself. Or if you like, we can elope to somewhere romantic instead."

Ianto glared daggers at Jack, but he seemed to recover his composure after a moment. He gave Jack a slow, devilish smile. "If you promise never to go to the supermarket with me again, I'll consider it." His gaze was fixed on Jack, his delivery perfectly deadpan.

Tosh and Mary burst into laughter. Jack huffed and reached for another mini cheesecake, then he started laughing as well.

###

It was almost midnight when they arrived home, Jack feeling a little the worse for wear after eating too much cheesecake and drinking more wine than he'd intended. Ianto had driven the SUV back, having consumed only one glass of wine himself. He'd grumbled at length about Jack's monstrosity of a car for most of the journey, vowing never to drive it again.

Jack kicked off his shoes and hung his jacket beside the door. He looked down at Ianto, who was kneeling down and unlacing his shoes. "That was a fun evening. Mary is really something. I like her. And Tosh is such a sweetheart. Although, I can see that she's tough when she needs to be. I bet she keeps Mary on the straight and narrow."

Ianto put his shoes neatly aside, doing the same with Jack's, then straightened up. "They seem a bit of an unlikely pair, but they're happy together."

Jack shrugged. "Opposites attract."

"Do you really believe that?" Ianto asked, his expression turning curious.

"Yeah, I do." Jack leaned back against the wall, while Ianto remained standing in front of him. "Rhys and Gwen are a good example. So are Owen and Katie for that matter. It would be kind of boring being with someone too much the same as ourselves."

Ianto bit down on his bottom lip and looked thoughtful. "Hmm. I suppose."

Jack smiled at the other man. It had been nice to see Ianto in a relaxed setting and not quite as uptight as usual. They had their issues, they didn't even like each other a lot of the time, and they were good at pushing each other's buttons, but Ianto wasn't a bad guy. And as loath as Jack was to admit it, Ianto took good care of him, even though he was under no obligation to do so. Plus, Ianto really did look amazing in a suit. "You were quite charming tonight."

Ianto blinked. "You sound surprised."

"I suppose I was a little." Jack pushed himself away from the wall, his gaze locked with Ianto's. "You often surprise me, you know."

"Do I?" Ianto asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jack nodded, smiling again. "Yeah... yeah, you do."

Jack took a step closer as he continued to stare into Ianto's eyes. He couldn't seem to look away, those searching blue eyes seeming to have an almost hypnotic effect over him. Without considering the consequences or waiting for his mind to take control and warn him that this was a monumentally bad idea, he grasped hold of the back of Ianto's neck and pulled him close.

Then he pressed his lips against Ianto's and kissed him.


	6. Chapter 6

Extra early post this week. Just a thank you to everyone who has so kindly supported and reviewed this story so far. After that little cliffhanger in the last chapter, I know a few of you are eager to find out what happens next. Thanks also as always to Prothrombintime for encouragement and support.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Ianto froze, his mind refusing to respond as he was suddenly surrounded by Jack's presence. Strong, warm fingers pressed into the bare skin at the back of his neck as that powerful, intoxicating scent filled his nostrils, overwhelming his senses and making it hard to breathe. Far more distracting, though, were the firm, warm lips moving against his own, both teasing and insistent.

It had been a long time since he'd been kissed by anyone. Instinctually, he started to respond, parting his lips and pressing them against a mouth that was surprisingly soft and sensual. His racing heartbeat thudded in his chest, while the sound of rushing blood thundered in his ears.

Just as he began to explore with more enthusiasm, he felt a scrape of stubble against his upper lip and the reality of what was happening slammed into him. He was kissing Jack. Jack was kissing him. He didn't even like Jack. Jack was an arrogant, obnoxious pain in the arse. And, as he felt a hardening presence press perilously close against his crotch, he was reminded that Jack was most definitely not a woman.

Reeling backwards, he shoved Jack away with all of his strength, sending the man stumbling back and hitting the wall behind him with a bone-jarring thud. "What the hell are you doing, Jack?" he shouted, glaring into Jack's wide, startled eyes and clenching his hands into tight fists.

Jack shook his head, as if attempting to clear away a cloud of confusion. He staggered upright, rubbing at his left shoulder which had apparently taken the brunt of the impact. "Shit," he muttered. "Ianto, look..."

Ianto was incensed, rage burning hot in his chest with an intensity that caused his entire body to tremble. "I'm not gay. I don't like men. You bloody well know that. Even if I did, you'd be the last man I'd want to kiss." Drawing in a sharp breath, he shook his head in disbelief. "You're such an arrogant, egotistical bastard. You think you're God's gift to men and women alike, don't you? That no one can possibly resist your so-called charms?"

Clenching his fists even tighter, it took every ounce of his self-control to resist the urge to smash his fist into Jack's face. He wasn't a violent man, but in that moment he felt justified in his desire to teach Jack a lesson.

Jack stared at him with a stunned expression, his mouth opening and closing several times. "Ianto..."

Ianto moved in closer, leaving little more than a couple of inches between their faces. "Don't!" he snarled. "Don't you dare try to justify what you just did."

Not giving Jack a chance to say anything further, he turned away and strode into his bedroom, slamming the door closed behind him.

His body sagged as he rested his forehead against the smooth painted wood of the door. Closing his eyes, he tried to get his breathing back under control. He couldn't begin to comprehend what Jack had been thinking, assuming that he had been thinking at all. He couldn't believe the unmitigated gall of the man. He knew that Jack seemed to find him attractive, Jack had told him so more than once, and it was impossible to deny that Jack was an incredibly good-looking man. Then there had been that awkward moment in front of the mirror earlier in the evening. He hadn't missed the way Jack had looked at him, something akin to desire in the depths of those intense, blue eyes. He didn't think he'd imagined that Jack's fingers had lingered for just a moment as the man had fiddled with his shirt collar. But Jack had crossed the line in assuming that his advances would be reciprocated. "Conceited, arrogant wanker," he muttered with contempt.

After several minutes he'd calmed down enough to turn on the light, undress, carefully hang up his suit, and slip into a pair of pyjamas. He listened at the door, checking there was no sound of movement on the other side. Not hearing anything, he eased the door open and crept into the bathroom, noting that Jack's bedroom light was on from the glow beneath the closed door. He hurriedly used the toilet and brushed his teeth, checked the front door was locked, then returned to his bedroom, closing the door again.

Rolling his eyes at himself, he wondered why he was sneaking around when he hadn't done anything wrong. But he wasn't ready to face Jack again, and a part of it was because he felt embarrassed by his explosive outburst. He wasn't proud of the way he'd acted or his lack of self-control, regardless of what Jack had done. No matter how much he disliked the man much of the time, he could have handled the situation better and not allowed his anger to get the better of him.

Moses roused from where he was stretched out on the bed, seeming to concur as he blinked up at Ianto with wide, knowing eyes. "Don't look at me like that," Ianto admonished, unleashing a fresh diatribe of curses under his breath. Taking a deep breath, he slid under the bed covers and curled up on his side, allowing Moses to settle against his stomach.

He stared into the darkness as sleep remained elusive, a taunting voice reminding him that while Jack had initiated the kiss, there had been a brief moment where he'd begun to kiss Jack back. Even more disturbing was that he hadn't hated it. He'd kissed Jack and a part of him had started to enjoy it. It had been different to kissing a woman, but it hadn't been unpleasant or distasteful. He wasn't homophobic; he didn't have a problem with two men being together, or two women, like Tosh and Mary. But he was straight, and he wasn't attracted to men. He'd never thought about kissing or doing anything else with another man. Kissing Jack, no matter how briefly, should have felt wrong. So, why hadn't it? he asked himself over and over again. If he wasn't as straight as he thought, surely there would have been some signs. Like looking at other men and feeling attracted to them, or at least thinking about what it might be like to do something sexual with another man. It didn't make any sense.

With those confused thoughts twisting around in his head and refusing to go away, it was hours later before he finally drifted into a fitful sleep.

When he dragged himself out of bed the following morning, it didn't take him long to discover that Jack wasn't anywhere in the flat. For a horrible, irrational moment, he wondered if Jack had decided to move out. However, a quick glance at the untidy contents of the man's bedroom showed no sign that he was in the process of packing up his belongings.

Ianto did his best to go about his day as normal, but he wasn't able to stop wondering where Jack might have gone. He was also unable to stop thinking about the incident from the night before. And the more he thought about it, the worse he felt. He spent most of the day cleaning furiously.

It was nearly six p.m. when he looked up from making himself a cup of coffee, having heard the front door open and close. Jack appeared in the kitchen doorway a moment later, an uncertain expression clouding his handsome features. "Hey."

"Hi." Ianto gestured at the coffee machine and reached for another mug. "Coffee?"

Jack frowned. "Um... sure. Thanks."

An awkward silence settled between them as Ianto finished brewing the coffee and filled both mugs. He slid Jack's towards him, then stepped back and cradled his own mug in his hands. He took a deep breath, welcoming the comfort of the familiar rich aroma.

"Ianto..." Jack began.

Ianto stared down into his coffee, unwilling to meet Jack's eyes. "Jack, you don't need to say anything."

Jack moved closer, but he kept a few feet between them. "You didn't give me a chance to say anything last night. So I'm going to have my say now."

Ianto steeled himself before giving Jack a curt nod. "All right."

Jack let out a heavy sigh. "Look, I shouldn't have kissed you last night. I get that. Despite what you might think, I'm not in the habit of going around making passes at people I know aren't interested. You've said you're not attracted to men and I respect that." He paused and scratched at the back of his neck. "It was just... a moment... an aberration. You're a gorgeous guy, and it's obviously no surprise that I find you attractive. You were standing right there in front of me in that suit and I found myself wanting to kiss you. I didn't think, and I acted impulsively. It won't happen again." He paused again as Ianto finally looked up and met his eyes. "But just for the record, you kissed me back. I know it was only for a moment and I'm not saying it means anything, but you could have pushed me away sooner."

Ianto nodded slowly. It was pointless to deny it. "I know. You took me by surprise. I didn't know how to react."

Jack frowned again, but there was a glimmer in his eyes that might have been amusement. "You were pretty angry. I thought you were going to punch me."

"I almost did," Ianto admitted.

Jack shrugged, as if it was no big deal. "I would have deserved it. Are you feeling okay now?"

"Yeah." Ianto sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. It was unnerving to see Jack so subdued and contrite. "I know I overreacted. I'm sorry, Jack. I said some things I shouldn't have."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I'm not an arrogant, egotistical bastard then?"

"Of course you are," Ianto retorted, not quite managing to stop the corners of his mouth from curling upwards. "I just shouldn't have said it out loud."

Jack laughed, shaking his head. "And you're a moody, uptight clean-freak. We make quite a pair, huh?" He smiled for a moment before his expression became serious again. "I'm sorry, too. I know we don't always get along and that we get on each other's nerves at times, but I like living here. I don't want to screw that up." His worried expression returned. "I haven't, have I?"

Ianto sighed, then shook his head. "No. As long as it doesn't happen again, it's fine."

Jack nodded, looking relieved. "Okay, good." He reached for his coffee and took a mouthful, closing his eyes and giving an appreciative murmur. When he opened his eyes again, a cheeky smile crept across his lips. "But you need to know that if you ever try to kiss me, all bets are off."

Ianto rolled his eyes, but gave him a small smile in return. Now that they'd cleared the air, the tight knot of tension he'd been carrying around all day had finally started to ease. He supposed it was even rather flattering that Jack had wanted to kiss him. "Duly noted. That's not going to be a problem." Then he added as an afterthought, "Definitely."

He opened his mouth to speak again, but hesitated. There was a question that had been bothering him since the kiss, but he didn't know how to go about asking Jack without sounding like an idiot, or even worse, causing Jack to laugh at him. Heat flooded his cheeks as he held Jack's searching gaze, and not for the first time, he cursed his pale Welsh skin.

Jack frowned. "Ianto? What is it?"

"I didn't... um... do anything, did I? To lead you on I mean... to give you the impression that I might be interested?" The words came out in a rush and Ianto felt himself cringe, but it seemed like a valid question. He didn't have any idea about how things worked with two men. He'd considered that it was at least conceivable that he'd unwittingly given Jack some kind of non-verbal signal.

Jack seemed to think about that for a moment, then he shook his head. "No, you didn't do anything. It was all me. Don't worry about it, okay?"

Ianto nodded, lowering his gaze. His eyes had drifted to Jack's lips as he'd remembered the feel and taste of them as they'd pressed against his own. They'd been firm and insistent, yet softer and smoother than he would have expected. He mentally shook himself, hoping that his features didn't betray his treacherous thoughts. Jack's lips were the last thing that he wanted to be thinking about.

Jack swallowed some more of his coffee, apparently oblivious. "I'm going to be away all of this week. I talked to Rhys earlier. He was meant to be going up to London to help out a friend with a photo shoot, but something else has come up here. I'm going in his place. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning. I probably won't be back until Friday night, maybe Saturday."

"Oh. Er... okay." Ianto looked up at Jack and frowned, his stomach twisting with the thought that Jack was trying to get away from him. "You're, um... you're not going away because of what happened?"

Jack chuckled. "Running off with my tail between my legs? No, nothing like that. But a bit of breathing space for a few days won't do us any harm."

Ianto nodded again, although he wasn't sure if he believed Jack's words. He decided that a change of subject was in order. "I haven't thought about dinner yet. What do you fancy?"

"How about I order us a pizza and we can relax and watch a movie?" Jack suggested.

Ianto thought that sounded like an excellent idea. It was safe, familiar territory, and a film would be a welcome distraction. "Okay," he agreed quickly.

He'd been more hungry than he'd realised, having barely eaten all day. Jack devoured slice after slice of pizza with his usual messy exuberance, downing two bottles of beer in loud gulps in-between mouthfuls. Ianto limited himself to two slices and a single beer. They watched one of the mindless action films from Jack's seemingly endless collection of mindless actions films as they ate, both of them remaining silent for the most part. It wasn't uncomfortable, but Jack was more subdued and not quite as gleeful in his enjoyment as usual. As they watched the climax of the film, Ianto refrained from pointing out that the events took place in a world where the laws of physics didn't apply. He was pretty sure that it wasn't possible to to drag a twenty tonne vault through the streets of Rio using only the horsepower of two suped-up cars. By the end, he'd rolled his eyes so many times at the sheer absurdity of the situation that they'd started to ache.

Jack left shortly after seven the following morning, Ianto having wandered out of his bedroom after waking up to find the man throwing toiletries and random articles of unfolded clothing into a small suitcase. He'd watched in horror for all of five seconds before he'd had to intervene. Not for the first time, he'd wondered how it was possible for a man to be such an unapologetic slob and yet always manage to look so good. Once he had Jack's suitcase neatly packed, he made coffee for both of them, then Jack made a hasty departure.

Ianto sighed with relief as he sipped at a second cup of coffee, welcoming the peace and quiet.

That sense of relief was short-lived, however. He spent the majority of his days and evenings working on his new book, but as hard as he tried to keep himself busy and distracted, his absent flatmate continued to consume his thoughts. He found himself wondering what might have happened if he hadn't pushed Jack away that night. Jack didn't seem like someone who would be content with sharing nothing more than a kiss or two. From what he'd observed, Jack was, at heart, a hedonist. He lived in the moment, doing what he wanted when he wanted, with little regard for the consequences or wisdom of his actions. Ianto found himself wondering how far things might have gone if he hadn't pushed Jack away.

In the darkness of his bedroom at night, his mind conjured up lurid images of the two of them, every one of them with the common theme of a distinct lack of clothing. Given the number of times he'd seen Jack naked, it didn't require much imagination to imbue the images with a disturbing level of clarity. When he felt himself begin to harden with arousal, he cursed his treacherous body and curled his hands into fists, refusing to touch himself. Realising that any form of self-pleasure was once again off the menu, he cursed Jack with all the eloquence he could muster. He'd never been more grateful for his proficiency with the English language. He even threw some Welsh curses into his lengthy diatribe for good measure.

On Wednesday, he had lunch with Tosh. She only had to take one look at him before demanding to know what was wrong. He wanted to talk to her about it, certain that she'd have some helpful insight, but each time he tried, the words died on his lips. It was too mortifying to talk about, even to his best friend. He settled on telling her that they'd had a bit of a fight about Jack not pulling his weight with their domestic duties. He felt guilty about the fib and he wasn't sure that Tosh believed him, but she listened sympathetically, then took him shopping. It was something they sometimes did when either of them was upset. He splurged and bought himself a new shirt so that he wouldn't have to go home empty-handed.

By late Thursday afternoon, the freezer was bursting at the seams with muffins and other assorted cakes. Remembering that, according to Jack, Rhys had developed a fondness for his baked goods, he filled a Tupperware container with a mixture of assorted muffins and took it downstairs to give to Rose.

Jackie greeted him, dragging him inside and making him a cup of tea. Rose had gone out with some friends for the evening. Jackie complained at length about the man Rose had recently split up with, some pretentious git who called himself the Doctor, although his real name was John Smith. According to Jackie, he'd run off to America with some harebrained plan to save the world, leaving Rose abandoned and heartbroken. Apparently Jack also knew this Doctor bloke, and Jackie didn't have many kind words to say about Jack either. It seemed that Jack had been a bit smitten with Rose at one point, but she had only had eyes for John. Clearly, Jackie didn't approve of Jack as a potential suitor any more than she did John.

"I knew that man was no good as soon as I laid eyes on him. And he was too old for her. But she was head over heels." Jackie gave a weary sigh. "I just don't want her making the same mistakes I did. I wish she could find a lovely young fella like you."

"I'm afraid we're a dying breed," Ianto replied dryly, sipping at his second cup of tea.

Jackie nodded with a rueful smile, sighing again. "I think you're right about that, sweetheart. Now, you'll stay and have dinner with me, won't you? I'm not taking no for an answer."

Jackie fed him lasagne and asked about how his writing was coming along before making a none-too-subtle inquiry about whether he was currently seeing anyone. When he finally returned upstairs, he had an unhappy, hungry feline to pacify.

The evenings alone in the flat all week had been too quiet. He'd grown accustomed to Jack's larger-than-life presence, and as much as he wanted to deny it, he missed having Jack around. He frequently loathed the man, and he was still confused and unsettled by the incident with the aborted kiss, but Jack wasn't terrible company. He was even quite amusing at times. It was nice to have someone around to eat dinner with or to sit with and watch a film or two. He'd even begun to miss that smug, infuriating smile.

It was late Friday night and he was sprawled on the sofa, Moses stretched out on his lap and enjoying a tummy rub. He was watching a Bond film, feeling disgusted with himself and a bit sick, having consumed three blueberry muffins, a bowl of chocolate ice-cream which had given him a headache, and an entire bag of Jack's favourite crisps.

He almost didn't register the sound of a key fumbling in the lock of the front door. When he looked up, Jack was closing the door behind him and dropping his bags in an untidy heap on the floor.

Jack's smug grin was firmly in place as he beamed at them. "Hey, kids. Did you miss me?"


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks as always to Prothrombintime for so graciously offering feedback and encouragement.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Jack had known even before his lips touched Ianto's that kissing his flatmate ranked high on the list of the more stupid things he'd ever done. Self-control had never been one of his strong points, and with Ianto standing right there in front of him, looking stunning in that charcoal-grey tailored suit and deep red shirt, his down-turned pink lips so sensual and tantalising, Jack had taken leave of his senses and given into his desires.

Unfortunately, the experience had been all too brief. Ianto had reacted with an intensity of emotion that had left Jack reeling, both physically and mentally. He'd been momentarily lost for words, an admittedly rare occurrence for him. For that one moment, the fire hidden beneath Ianto's repressed exterior had been unleashed and directed at him without restraint. That explosive surge of emotion had been glorious and undeniably arousing, and almost a little frightening in its intensity. The one thing it hadn't been was indifferent. The bastard in Jack couldn't help feeling rather proud of himself for managing to evoke such a powerful reaction from the other man. That brief touch of Ianto's warm, soft lips against his own hadn't disappointed him either.

However, he knew he'd crossed the line. He'd fled from the flat the following morning, then jumped at the chance for a few days away in London when a buddy of Rhys' needed an extra photographer for a magazine shoot. They'd cleared the air though, he'd apologised and promised it wouldn't happen again, and it seemed that all was forgiven. He'd been surprised when Ianto had apologised as well, his regret over the intensity of his reaction seeming genuine.

Jack resigned himself to a look but don't touch policy and made a vow to himself to keep his over-active libido in check. Even if Ianto was in denial about his sexuality as Jack suspected, the younger man had made it clear that he wasn't interested, and that had to be the end of it. Jack's ego might have been a little bruised, but no matter how much he liked a challenge, he would never try to take advantage of someone who didn't reciprocate his interest. He just wished that the man wasn't so damn gorgeous. Even Ianto's frequently unpleasant personality did little to diminish his physical appeal.

Although it was only a few days, the time away felt long and arduous. No matter how hard he tried, he kept thinking about Ianto and their aborted kiss. The simple, irrefutable truth was that he missed his flatmate. They weren't friends, they didn't even like each other, but they'd spent a lot of time together and he'd gotten used to the other man's presence. He'd think about the way Ianto rolled his eyes in exasperation, or recall one of Ianto's rare, cheeky, sexy little grins, and he'd feel the corners of his lips twitch upwards of their own accord. With grudging reluctance, he was forced to admit to himself that he didn't dislike Ianto Jones quite as much as he'd claimed.

Finally he was back in Cardiff and unlocking the flat's front door, tired from a busy week and a long drive, but glad to be home. He hadn't been sure what sort of welcome he'd receive, but Ianto's smile suggested that his flatmate wasn't unhappy to see him again.

He grinned with delight as Ianto handed him a steaming mug of coffee and placed a plate of two muffins in front of him on the coffee table. There was one of each of his favourites – blueberry and banana, and chocolate filled with dark chocolate chips.

Reclining on the sofa, he groaned with appreciation as he breathed in the coffee's heavenly aroma and took his first sip. "God, I've missed this. You've completely ruined me for any other coffee, I hope you know that."

He took another sip and watched with amusement as Ianto shifted his discarded bags over to the nearest armchair and began fussing with their contents. The younger man looked predictably appalled as he extracted Jack's crumpled clothes and sorted them into neat piles on the floor.

Jack gave him a rueful smile. "I've been drinking tea all week because every cup of coffee I tried tasted like sludge."

Ianto glanced up at him, and Jack didn't miss the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "It's my secret weapon," he deadpanned. With a sigh he turned his attention back to his task, then carried the piles of clothes away and ferried the rest of Jack's belongings to his bedroom.

"You think you can bend anyone to your will with coffee, huh?" Jack asked when Ianto had returned and sat down in the armchair again, picking up his own mug from the coffee table.

Ianto shrugged. "Pretty much. It worked on you."

Jack laughed, shaking his head. "Sneaky bastard. I think you've been watching too much Bond. Next you'll be plotting world domination and taking control of the global supply of coffee beans." He made short work of both muffins, then fixed Ianto with an expectant stare. "You never answered my question. Did you miss me?"

Ianto snorted, rolling his eyes. He looked pointedly at Jack's shirt. It was covered in muffin crumbs. "I didn't miss cleaning up after you."

Jack casually flicked the crumbs onto the empty plate. "But did you miss me?"

Ianto sighed. "If I say yes, will it shut you up?"

"No." Jack grinned.

Ianto's gaze drifted to where Moses was sprawled out beside Jack. "Moses missed you. He's been a grumpy little bugger all week."

"I missed the little guy, too." Jack smiled down at Mo and stroked under his chin. He looked back up at Ianto. "But did you miss me?"

"I didn't miss how bloody annoying you are." Ianto folded his arms across his chest and glared at him. "Arrogant arse."

"Priggish clean-freak," Jack retorted with a chuckle. "You know I'm not going to stop until you answer the question."

"Well, I've got a freezer full of muffins and there was no one here to eat them. Does that count? I took a container full of them downstairs for Rose to give to Rhys."

Jack nodded. "Rhys told me. He was ecstatic. He said to tell you you're a prince among Welshmen. He's probably eaten them all by now and looking for more. But, no, that doesn't count."

Ianto huffed, muttering something under his breath that Jack wasn't quite able to catch. "All right, fine. I missed you... a bit."

"Yeah?" Jack gave him a self-satisfied grin.

Ianto rolled his eyes again. "Yep. Satisfied?"

Jack nodded, still grinning. "Oh, yeah." He swallowed the rest of his coffee and jiggled the empty cup at Ianto. "Can I have some more coffee? And another muffin?"

###

It was Jack's lack of self-control that had gotten him into hot water with Ianto the last time. The next time, it was another of his failings that came to the fore – his innate and inexhaustible sense of curiosity.

Almost three weeks had passed in relative peace since his return from London. Neither of them had mentioned the incident of the aborted kiss again, and things seemed to be back to normal. Jack continued to fantasise about Ianto, his imagination running free within the confines of his bedroom at night, but he managed to keep himself under control while in the other man's presence. It was nothing more than a passing infatuation, he continued to tell himself. He hadn't been with anyone since Tommy, a situation he recognised as a self-imposed penance for the hurt he'd caused his ex-lover. He rationalised that his abstinence had manifested as an unhealthy attraction to his flatmate. He just needed to move on and start having some fun again. He was a young man in his prime, with a healthy libido, and he had needs that weren't currently being met. He was under no illusion that he was built for celibacy.

It was Thursday lunchtime and after a last minute rescheduling at the studio, Jack found himself with an unexpected free afternoon. He returned to the flat, planning to make himself some lunch and indulge in a cup of Ianto's coffee while he decided what to do with the rest of his day. He'd just landed an assignment with the Welsh Tourism Board for a new promotional campaign, and he supposed he could make a start on that even though he hadn't planned to begin until the following week. Or maybe he'd just relax for the afternoon, perhaps taking in a movie at the Cardiff IMAX. He wondered if he might be able to convince Ianto to take a break from his writing and accompany him.

He sighed with disappointment when he discovered that Ianto wasn't home. After a wistful look at Ianto's gleaming coffee machine, he boiled the kettle and made himself a cup of tea. He'd once tried to sneak a jar of instant into the flat, but Ianto had found it, looked at him as if he'd committed the most heinous crime imaginable, then dropped it into the rubbish bin.

Settling on the sofa as he sipped his tea, Jack's eyes landed on the coffee table and his eyebrows shot up. Aligned perfectly with the table's edge was a neat stack of crisp A4 paper bound by a bulldog clip in the top-left corner, a red ballpoint pen lined up against the left-hand side. The page on top was covered in computer printed text, with a handful of red annotations in Ianto's neat handwriting down the margins on both sides. The words 'Chapter One', in bold capitals, stood out from the top of the page.

He stared for a moment, frowning in confusion. Then he shrugged to himself, picked up the stack of sheets, and began to read.

###

Ianto was in a lousy mood. He'd woken up in the middle of the night, hard as a rock and gasping for breath, his mind filled with vivid images from a dream he'd had about Jack. A dream that had gone far beyond him and Jack kissing. He'd tried to go back to sleep, but his body had refused to cooperate. When his aching erection showed no signs of diminishing after half an hour, he'd been forced to deal with it, cursing Jack the entire time as he'd tried to think of anything other than the man's naked body. It hadn't helped that he'd had to jam his fist against his mouth to stop himself from crying out from the intensity of his climax. Although it hadn't been the first time that Jack had appeared in his dreams, it had been the first time he'd given into his pent-up arousal.

He'd been struggling all week with his new book and was starting to have serious doubts about his ability to make a career out of writing. With his remaining savings continuing to dwindle away, he'd begun to consider that perhaps he'd been deluding himself all along. He glanced at his desk calendar on his way to the kitchen on Thursday morning and realised that it was six months to the day since Lisa had walked out on him. Jack added to his dark mood by being as obnoxious as ever and leaving a trail of mess in his path before departing for the day. He sighed and started to clean the kitchen, wondering how it was that his life had gone so wrong.

He was sitting on the sofa, feeling dejected and sorry for himself as he jotted down some notes on a freshly printed copy of the first half of his book. He often found it helpful to edit his writing when it was in printed form, and it was a reprieve from staring at the screen of his laptop. When he stopped working and looked at his watch, he realised that he was going to be late meeting Tosh for lunch. He quickly changed his clothes and headed out, not giving another thought to the hard copy he'd left sitting neatly on the coffee table.

After lunch, he spent the afternoon wandering around the bay area and trying to organise his desolate thoughts. It wasn't until he returned home a little after five p.m. and found Jack sprawled on the sofa, playing one of his noisy and mindless PlayStation games, that he'd realised his mistake.

Noting that the hard copy was now sitting askew, Ianto ignored Jack's distracted greeting and glared at the man as he clenched his hands into tight fists. He marched over to stand in front of Jack, grabbed the remote, and turned off the television. He dropped the remote back onto the coffee table, making a loud clatter in the sudden still silence of the room.

"Hey!" Jack protested, scowling up at him.

"How much did you read?" Ianto demanded, crossing his arms over his chest and squeezing his hands into fists again.

Jack's gaze flickered towards the stack of printed sheets. He shrugged. "Depends."

Ianto narrowed his eyes. "On what?"

Jack looked back at him, his gaze unflinching. The bastard didn't even have the grace to look guilty. "On how pissed off you're going to be."

"How much?" Ianto repeated, his voice becoming a menacing growl.

Jack breathed out a sigh. "All of it."

"Right." Ianto grabbed the bundle of paper and clutched it against his chest, then gestured towards the door with a tilt of his head. "Get out."

Jack just continued to look at him. "No."

Ianto blinked, staring back at Jack with disbelief. "What?"

"You heard me," Jack replied, not shifting an inch. "I said no. This is my home, too. I'm not going to leave just because you're having a temper tantrum. You know I'm a curious guy. What did you think would happen when you left that there for me to find?"

Ianto shook his head, unable to believe the unmitigated cheek of the man. "Oh, so it's my fault is it? You weren't even meant to be here. Why weren't you at work?"

"We had a cancellation at the studio so I had the afternoon off." Jack shrugged again. "Anyway, I thought you might like some feedback."

"Well, I don't." Ianto glared daggers at the man, tightness squeezing at his chest as he held his body rigid. "You had no right to read it without my permission. If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it."

"Fair enough." Jack directed a pointed look at the television and waved his game controller at Ianto. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my game now."

Ianto opened and closed his mouth several times, fury robbing him of the ability to speak. "Bastard," he finally managed, the word coming out in little more than a seething hiss.

He turned away and stormed into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He ripped the bulldog clip away from the stack of sheets and hurled them across the room, sending paper fluttering in all directions. Backing into the corner next to the bed, he slipped down the wall and pulled his legs up against his chest, his entire body trembling as silent tears began to trail down his face.

It was over three hours later before he finally emerged from his room. Jack looked up at him from whatever he was watching on the television. "Ianto..." he began, but Ianto ignored him and continued on his path to the kitchen.

He retrieved four bottles of beer from the refrigerator, two glasses from a cupboard, and the almost full bottle of Scotch he kept tucked away behind his neatly organised cleaning supplies. Precariously juggling his load, he carried it back to the living room and dumped it all onto the coffee table. Then he slumped down onto the opposite end of the sofa from Jack, popped the top off a bottle of beer and took a mouthful.

Finally he looked at Jack. He reached for another bottle and held it out to the other man. "If you're not going to piss off then you can bloody well get rat-faced with me."

Jack gave him a searching look before taking the bottle from his hand. He opened it and clinked it against Ianto's. "Okay."

Ianto narrowed his eyes at the other man, not trusting Jack's easy agreement and placid expression. A part of him had wanted a fight, an excuse to hurl himself at Jack and take pleasure in the feel of his fist connecting with that perfect jawline. All he needed was a little bit of additional provocation to tip him over the edge. It wouldn't take much, but it was typical of the smug bastard that he didn't have the courtesy to even give him that.

Jack didn't waste any time in draining his bottle and reaching for another. He gave the bottle in Ianto's hand a pointed look. "Well, go on, start drinking."

With a defiant scowl at the man, Ianto gulped down the rest of the bottle's contents and grabbed his second one. He'd be damned if Jack would out-drink him.

By the time he was pouring his fourth glass of Scotch, he was well on his way towards the oblivion he craved. His vision had begun to swim a little, his throat felt raw, and his stomach was rebelling against the onslaught of alcohol. After pushing the bottle towards Jack, he didn't hesitate to swallow down the contents of his glass. He cringed as the burn hit the back of his throat, but savoured the hazy warmth that spread over his body. He reached again for the bottle and managed to slosh some more of the dark amber liquid into his glass, then tipped it down his throat.

He glanced at Jack through blurry eyes. The man was smiling and looking relaxed as he sipped at his drink. Even in his inebriated state, Ianto couldn't help staring at that ridiculously handsome face. Jack grinned at him, emptying his glass. "How you doin' there, sport?"

Muttering a string of obscenities, Ianto slammed down his glass and pushed himself upwards. "Need more beer," he muttered. He lurched forward, but the room began to spin and his legs wavered as they struggled to support his weight. Just as the floor began to rush towards him, strong arms wrapped around his chest and hauled him back upright.

Jack's voice chuckled in his ear. "Whoa! Didn't have you pegged for such a lightweight. I thought you Welshmen could hold your liquor."

Ianto growled deep in his throat. "Get off," he slurred, yanking himself out of Jack's grasp. He managed one more step towards the kitchen before the room tilted sideways and Jack's arms were around him again.

"Come on, tiger. Let's get you to bed so you can sleep it off. You're going to have a hell of a hangover in the morning." The obvious amusement in Jack's voice only served to enrage Ianto further, but he slumped against the other man, his wobbly legs having given up completely.

Somehow they managed to stagger to his bedroom, his stomach giving a violent twist as Jack dumped him onto the bed. Ianto started tugging at the buttons of his shirt with uncoordinated fingers, everything feeling too tight and hot. He squeezed his eyes closed, hoping to block out the swaying of the room.

"Here, let me do that." Steady hands pushed his fingers away and pulled off the restrictive clothing. His half-hearted protest died before it reached his lips.

With a sigh of relief, he began trying to crawl under the bed covers, his uncoordinated body moving mostly on instinct. He was vaguely aware of his jeans and socks being tugged off, then the bed covers were being pulled up over him.

He risked cracking his eyes open and found Jack's face looking down at him through a foggy haze. Warm fingers brushed against his cheek, and he leaned into the touch, finding comfort despite the fading awareness that those soothing fingers belonged to the man he despised. Then darkness claimed him.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. And thank you to Prothrombintime for reading my ramblings and providing invaluable encouragement and feedback.

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

Jack stretched out on Ianto's bed, propping himself up on an elbow as he watched his sleeping flatmate. Ianto was snoring loudly, his mouth hanging open in a way that couldn't be described as attractive, and a little trail of drool had formed a path down his chin. Jack stifled a chuckle, knowing the younger man would be mortified to know he was being observed in such an unflattering state. Although inebriated himself, he'd paced his alcohol intake more than Ianto, and drinking binges with Rhys and Owen over the years had given him a high tolerance. He also had the advantage of greater body mass, having at least twenty or so pounds over Ianto. Unlike the Welshman, he'd probably have nothing more than a mild headache in the morning.

Once again he'd been on the receiving end of Ianto's impressive temper. And once again, he only had himself to blame. Although he suspected that Ianto's fit of pique had been about more than Jack reading his unfinished novel. He had the impression that his latest misdemeanour had merely been the catalyst that had tipped Ianto over the edge.

Despite their argument, Jack felt a swell of affection as he studied Ianto's features. He recalled the last time he'd watched the man sleep and felt the same inexplicable sense of contentment. Shifting closer, he savoured the warmth radiating from Ianto's body. It had been too long since he'd had the simple comfort of the closeness of another person. He brushed his fingertips over Ianto's cheek as he'd done earlier, enjoying the feel of the warm skin that lost its smoothness once he reached the light stubble of Ianto's jawline. Ianto made a snuffling sound and moved a little, burrowing deeper under the bedding, but otherwise didn't stir.

With a soft sigh, Jack pressed a kiss to Ianto's forehead and rolled himself off the bed, stumbling slightly as his feet landed on the floor. He tended to become overly affectionate when intoxicated, a fact that Rhys and Owen could attest to at length. As tempting as it was to fall asleep beside Ianto, he doubted that the discovery of an unwelcome bedmate would do much to ingratiate himself back into the other man's good graces.

After a stop at the bathroom, he collapsed onto his own bed, only just managing to discard his clothes and slide beneath the bed covers before losing consciousness.

It wasn't much of a surprise when he was woken by the sound of movement outside his door a short while later. A series of loud thumps were interjected with muttered cursing, then there was the unmistakeable sound of stomach contents being emptied into the toilet bowl. Soft, pitiful moaning followed. Smiling to himself, Jack rolled over and went back to sleep.

When there was no sign of Ianto after Jack had showered and dressed the following morning, he decided to take pity on the other man. With a glass of water and packet of aspirin in hand, he ventured into Ianto's bedroom, grinning as he examined the curled up lump hidden underneath the bed covers. He made himself at home on the empty side of the bed and gave the lump a none-too-gentle poke. "Wake up, sleepyhead. I need my coffee."

A miserable groan emanated from the lump. "Go away," a voice mumbled in a hoarse croak.

Jack poked again and tugged at the bed covers until a dishevelled head appeared, looking more than a little the worse for wear. Jack struggled to hide the smirk on his face. "Rough night, huh?"

Ianto's eyes began to open and squinted up at him. Then Ianto groaned and squeezed them closed again, burying his face in the pillow. "Oh, God. Kill me now. Please."

Jack chuckled. "And rob myself of the pleasure of tormenting you on a daily basis? What would be the fun in that? Besides, who would make my coffee?" He nudged Ianto once more and held up the glass of water. "Here, drink this."

Ianto groaned again, but he turned his head and opened his bleary eyes, blinking several times. When his vision finally seemed to focus on the glass, he struggled into a semi-upright position, fighting ineffectually against the tangle of bed covers, then grabbed at the glass and drank the water with greedy gulps.

Jack suspected that he was enjoying Ianto's hangover rather more than he should. He popped a couple of aspirin from the pack and held them out on his palm. "Aspirin."

"Thanks," Ianto mumbled, swallowing down the tablets with the remainder of the water.

He continued to groan, closing his eyes again and rubbing at his temples. When those glazed blue depths finally reappeared, he gave Jack a wary look, then glanced down at his bare torso. Grabbing at the bedding, he covered himself up, much to Jack's disappointment. He'd been enjoying the up close view of Ianto's hairy chest and stomach.

Ianto peeked under the covers, then scowled up at Jack. "How did I get like this?"

Jack shrugged, taking the empty glass and putting it on the bedside table. "I helped you undress and tucked you into bed. Don't worry, I was a perfect gentleman. I didn't even peek." He couldn't resist offering up a leering grin. "Just be thankful I didn't take off your underwear as well. Cute briefs, though. Very snug. And red's a really great colour on you."

Ianto spluttered, his cheeks turning an impressive shade of crimson against his hangover-induced pallor. "Do you have any idea how much I despise you right now?"

Jack laughed, amused by the venomous look on Ianto's face. Given Ianto's beleaguered state, the look wasn't quite as effective as usual. "Oh, I think I've got a pretty good idea. You're sexy as hell when you get all riled up, you know that? And you're adorable when you're drunk."

He laughed again, raising his hands up in defence as Ianto looked like he was about two seconds away from throttling him. "It's good to see you loosen up a bit," he added, becoming more serious. "Not that I'm advocating drinking yourself into oblivion on a regular basis, but I think you needed it. You need to let off some steam once in a while."

Ianto continued to glare at him for a moment, then he sighed, his expression shifting to something far more uncertain and vulnerable. He looked down and fiddled with the bed covers, tugging them up more tightly around his body. "It's been a long time since I drank like that. It's just that... I suppose I've been having a bad few days and it all caught up with me." He sighed again, then looked back up at Jack, narrowing his eyes. "I'm still angry with you for reading my book."

Jack held his gaze. "Fair enough. But I'm not sorry I read it." He paused, not sure whether to say anything further. As much as Ianto's drunken stupor the night before and his hungover state this morning amused him, it bothered him that Ianto got himself so knotted up that it inevitably reached a breaking point. Despite himself, he realised that he cared about his flatmate's welfare. He patted at Ianto's knee in what he hoped was a placating but inoffensive gesture. "For what it's worth, I can be a fairly decent listener... you know, if you ever want to get things off your chest. I'm just saying, you don't have to bottle everything up all the time."

Ianto frowned. "I'm not really much of a talker."

Jack gave him a gentle smile. "I'm starting to figure that out."

They stared at each other for a long moment, the silence soon becoming awkward. Breaking the tension, Jack climbed off the bed and stretched as he stood up. "Now, are you getting up to make my coffee, or do I have to come back and throw a bucket of cold water over you?"

Ianto's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare."

"Are you sure about that?" Jack offered up his best devilish grin. "I'll give you five minutes. In the meantime, I'll be in the kitchen making us breakfast."

He chuckled to himself as he left the room. No matter how hungover he was, there was no way that Ianto would leave him to his own devices in the kitchen for very long. Satisfied that his morning coffee was imminent, he decided to whip up a batch of pancakes. They always seemed like a good idea when he was feeling hungover.

###

Ianto ate from his bowl of chicken stir-fry without much enthusiasm. The mildly spicy dish he'd made for dinner was one of his favourites, but he was still feeling a bit out of sorts from his drinking binge the night before and didn't have much of an appetite. He cast a sideways glance at Jack. The man was eating with his usual unabashed exuberance, engrossed in some inane game show on the television.

Sighing to himself, Ianto popped another piece of chicken into his mouth and chewed slowly. The previous evening hadn't been one of his finer moments, and he could scarcely look at his flatmate without feeling a flush of embarrassment. From his outburst at Jack, his subsequent breakdown in his bedroom, then drinking himself into oblivion, he'd made a complete arse of himself. Waking up with a hellish hangover, almost naked, and finding a grinning Jack stretched out beside him, had mortified him beyond measure. Annoyingly, Jack had seemed to be free of any ill effects of their binge, but at least the man had been fully clothed.

Despite failing to hide his amusement, Jack hadn't been a total bastard. Nothing seemed to phase the man, and he never seemed to hold a grudge. Of course, Jack had been in the wrong and Ianto was still upset about him having read the partial draft of his book, but he couldn't completely deny that Jack had the occasional redeeming quality. The pancakes Jack had made for breakfast had been delicious, the mess left in their wake notwithstanding.

Deciding that he couldn't force himself to eat anything more, Ianto put his bowl down and pushed it aside, slumping back into the sofa. He closed his eyes, the sound from the television settling into distant white noise as his thoughts drifted. He needed to clear the air and try to offer at least a partial explanation for his untoward behaviour.

He seized his opportunity as soon as Jack's show had ended, the other man having just turned off the television. "Yesterday," he began, opening his eyes and glancing at Jack again before lowering his gaze. "I realised it was six months since Lisa left me. I suppose it kind of hit me. Caught me off-guard."

"You miss her." Jack's voice was quiet and matter-of-fact. "That's understandable. And six months isn't that long."

Ianto nodded in agreement, then sighed with frustration as he struggled to find the right words. Finally he forced himself to look up again and meet Jack's curious gaze. "I do still miss her sometimes. Even though I know that in the end we weren't right for each other. But it's more than that. I miss what she represented."

Jack shifted so he was looking at him directly. "What do you mean?"

Ianto sighed again. "With Lisa, my life made sense. I thought we had a future together." He paused and waved his hand at the room in a vague gesture. "All of this was for us. I thought we'd get married when we were ready. Maybe even start a family someday. I was working towards something definite." He stopped, shaking his head. "I suppose I've been a bit lost without her," he added, surprisingly himself by the honesty of his admission.

Jack placed a hand on Ianto's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It takes time to move on, Ianto. You loved her. You wanted to build a life with her. That's not an easy thing to get past."

Ianto stared down at the warm, strong hand resting on his knee. Strangely, he felt no inclination to pull away from the other man's touch. Instead, he found himself savouring it. And when he looked back up at Jack's face again, he saw nothing but sincerity and compassion in those intense blue depths.

For a moment, he lost himself, then realised that a small smile of gratitude had formed on his lips. Feeling self-conscious, he cleared his throat and rose to his feet, causing Jack's hand to slip away. "How about some coffee?"

Jack gave a soft chuckle and stood up as well. "You do realise I'm never going to answer no to that question, don't you?" He helped Ianto collect their empty bowls, glasses, and cutlery, and followed him into the kitchen.

They argued about what film they were going to watch as Ianto prepared the coffee and Jack made popcorn. Jack wanted to watch Starship Troopers, Ianto wanted to watch The Thirteenth Floor. Somehow they settled on The Matrix.

When the film was over and the credits began to roll up the screen, Ianto turned off the television and DVD player and turned to Jack. Steeling himself, he asked the question that had been eating at him all day. "My book. What did you think?" He wondered if he sounded as sheepish as he felt.

Jack looked surprised, his eyebrows lifting upwards. "You said you didn't want to know."

Ianto shrugged, trying his best to feign an air of nonchalance. "Changed my mind."

"You really want to know what I think about your book?" Jack gave him a doubtful frown.

Ianto replied with a quick nod. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

Jack pursed his lips and didn't say anything for several moments, and Ianto had to resist the urge to squirm as anxiety twisted in his stomach.

"I think it's brilliant, Ianto," Jack finally announced with a smile. "I really like your protagonist, Cade. He's kind of like a futuristic James Bond, but with a darker side." His smile widened. "It's a fascinating story so far. Despite the bad things he's done, I could empathise with him, and I never felt that he's beyond redemption. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it. I want to know what's going to happen now that he's trapped in the nineteenth century and figured out he can't die."

Jack smiled again, the gesture seeming more sincere and lacking its usual smugness. "I know you're upset with me for reading it, but seriously, I couldn't put it down once I started. That's entirely your fault, you know. You're a hell of a writer."

Ianto stared at Jack, more than a little dumbfounded. "Er... thanks. I'm glad you liked it."

In truth, he hadn't been sure that the premise for his new book was even a good idea. It was the story about a man from the fifty-first century, Cade Harrison, broken by the traumatic death of his family at the hands of vicious aliens, and later recruited as an agent by an organisation known as the Time Agency. He'd wanted to tell the tale of a man, who despite his troubled past and regrettable choices, was able to find redemption and ultimately become a saviour of the human race. Jack was right and he'd originally set out with the notion of creating a futuristic Bond-like character. However, he'd soon realised that he wanted to create a more tormented, complex, and morally ambiguous character, while still retaining a suave, flirtatious side to his personality.

"Can I give you a couple of suggestions?" Jack asked.

Ianto nodded, hoping his reluctance wasn't too obvious.

Jack's expression turned thoughtful. "I think you should make Cade a little more distinctive. More iconic. He needs a signature look, something that defines him. And I think you should delve into his sexuality more. Make him more sexually fluid. Even though he grew up in a colony of mostly humans, you've got to imagine that by the fifty-first century, views on sex are going to be a lot different than they are today. Chances are he's not even one-hundred percent human, so why would he limit himself?"

Ianto frowned in confusion. "He'd have sex with aliens?"

Jack shrugged. "Sure, why not? I'm not saying you should write about it in explicit detail or anything, but I think you could acknowledge that he doesn't limit himself by species or gender. If you want to label it, call him omni-sexual."

Ianto had to concede that Jack had made a valid point, although he didn't want to make his character too controversial. Besides, not everyone was as open-minded as Jack, or even himself, for that matter. He shrugged. "Hmm. I suppose that makes sense. I hadn't really thought about it."

Jack gave him an enthusiastic grin. "You need to expand your horizons, Ianto. Think beyond our narrow-minded culture. We may have made some progress in the acceptance of sexual diversity, but imagine how different things will be with another three-thousand years of evolution." Suddenly he snapped his fingers and leapt to his feet. "I've just had an idea. Back in a sec."

Jack strolled off to his bedroom, returning a moment later with his laptop in hand. He sat back down next to Ianto and tapped at the laptop's keyboard for a few seconds. "Here." He slid the computer onto Ianto's lap and pointed at the screen, which showed a Google image search. "This would be perfect."

Ianto peered down at the numerous images of a long overcoat in dark blue-grey wool with wide lapels and collar, a set of four brass buttons down each side of the double-breasted front, and epaulettes with stripes indicating rank on the shoulders. "World War Two RAF greatcoat," he murmured.

Jack nodded. "I used to be a bit of a history buff. I was always fascinated with the uniforms. What do you think?"

Ianto continued to look at the images, clicking on several to enlarge them. He had to admit that he liked the anachronism of a man from the distant future decked out in vintage military attire. "I suppose it's rather dashing. Sort of classic. Timeless."

Jack nodded again. "Exactly!"

Ianto looked at a few more of the images. Then he passed the laptop back to Jack, making a mental note to clean the fingerprint smeared aluminium-clad computer as soon as possible. Jack had a penchant for technology, owning an impressive array of the latest gadgets, but he seemed incapable of keeping them clean. "Thanks, Jack. I'll give it some thought."

The other man's wide smile was warm and infectious, and Ianto couldn't help smiling back. Loathe as he was to admit it, he realised that Jack reading his unfinished book perhaps wasn't the worst thing that could have happened.

###

It was Monday evening of the following week, and Ianto was sitting in his customary spot on the sofa and making notes on a rough draft of the latest chapter of his book. Jack had retreated to his bedroom after dinner, and the man could be heard pottering around in the otherwise calm stillness of the flat. Ianto was now used to the simple fact that no matter what Jack did, he never did it quietly.

He was just thinking about putting aside his writing for the night and finding something to watch on the telly when Jack's voice startled him. "Hey, Ianto. I've got a surprise for you."

Ianto looked up and across the room to find Jack's head peeking out from the hallway, grinning at him with undisguised glee. Ianto frowned, feeling an immediate sense of trepidation. "I hate surprises."

Jack's grin didn't falter. "Spoilsport. But I think you're going to like this one."

A moment later, Jack swaggered into the room, shoulders pushed back, chest thrust forward, and head held high as long coattails billowed around his legs. He came to a stop in front of Ianto, resting his hands on his hips. He stood there, his jaw clenched, and his features set in an expression of confident determination. Then the stoic mask slipped away and a smug grin joined the mischief dancing in his eyes. "So, what do you think?"

Ianto stared up at Jack with wide eyes, mouth falling open, momentarily unable to speak. Jack seemed to tower above him, tall and impossibly handsome as always, his broad upper body filling out the RAF greatcoat to perfection. It was as if Jack embodied Ianto's fictional fifty-first century time-traveller, bringing the character to life before his eyes.

He slowly rose to his feet, transfixed by the sight before him, and watched as Jack sauntered around the room, finally coming to rest again and leaning back against the wall near the front door, arms folded over his chest. "Not bad, huh? Of course, I'm much better looking than Cade."

Rolling his eyes, Ianto moved to stand in front of Jack, his legs seeming to propel him forward of their own accord. He reached up and traced his fingers along Jack's shoulder and down one of the lapels, enjoying the feel of the heavy wool against his fingertips. As he drew in a deep breath, Jack's intoxicating, masculine scent filled his nostrils and sent a rush of warmth through his body.

He swallowed and looked into Jack's eyes. "I really like the coat."

"Yeah?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ianto nodded. "Yeah."

The next thing he knew, his hands were fisted in the greatcoat, their faces so close that Jack's warm breath caressed his skin. With his heart pounding in his chest, Ianto crashed his lips against Jack's and kissed him hungrily.


	9. Chapter 9

Early post this week. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and to Prothrombintime for feedback and encouragement.

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Ianto continued to kiss Jack, devouring the man's lips as he finally gave into the attraction he'd been trying so desperately to deny. Releasing a soft moan, Jack kissed him back with what seemed to be the same level of desperate hunger, his hands moving to grasp the back of Ianto's neck, fingers tangling in his hair and teasing the base of his scalp.

With the invitation of Jack's parted lips, Ianto deepened their kiss, sliding his tongue into Jack's mouth and finding the other man's equally eager. It was his turn to moan, the sound coming up from somewhere deep inside him, both tremulous and needy. Wrapping his arms around Jack, he pressed himself closer. He could feel the insistent hardness of Jack's arousal against his own, and with their mouths locked together, he was all too aware of the friction from the contact of their lightly stubbled skin. This time, however, he didn't care that he was kissing another man. He wanted this. He wanted Jack.

Their kiss continued unabated, fierce and passionate, and unlike anything he'd experienced before. It was undeniably exciting, and the part of his brain that was still coherent wondered if it was always like this between two men. The lack of restraint was thrilling in a way that he never could have imagined. He felt surrounded by Jack's solid presence, his senses consumed by the other man's heat, scent, and taste.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathing heavily, Ianto could only stare dumbly at Jack, his mind reeling with confusion. Jack stared back at him, looking equally stunned, lust burning in the depths of his blue eyes. Ianto tried to steady his breathing while clinging to Jack, not entirely trusting his legs to keep him upright of their own accord.

Jack's hands slid downwards, settling over Ianto's hips and holding him close. "Whoa, where did that come from?"

Ianto somehow managed a wry grin. "I really do like this coat. Why? Are you complaining?"

Jack grinned back, shaking his head. "Nope. Just surprised. Especially after what happened last time."

Before Ianto could respond, Jack spun them around and pushed him up against the wall, pressing their bodies together again. Ianto barely managed an undignified yelp of surprise before Jack cradled his face in both hands and captured his lips in a second searing kiss. Although startled, Ianto recovered and kissed Jack back, his arousal intensifying with each passing moment. His crotch was almost unbearably tight, his erection aching for release from the confines of his jeans, and as he shifted his hips in an attempt to ease his discomfort, he rubbed himself against Jack, evoking a deep, guttural groan in response. As Jack pushed back against him, Ianto felt a frisson of pleasure from the knowledge that he'd been able to elicit such a wanton response from the older, more experienced man.

But then Jack pulled back, a look of concern clouding his features. He caressed Ianto's cheek with surprising gentleness. "I want to be a decent guy here, Ianto. Are you sure this is what you want? Because if you don't want this to go any further, we need to stop right now."

Ianto knew that he was completely out of his depth. He couldn't begin to understand what was happening between them, and he had no idea what Jack might want from him or how far he'd be willing to go. Jack clearly knew what he was doing, whereas he felt woefully inadequate and ill-prepared. He'd never had a terribly exciting or adventurous sex life, even with Lisa, and before that first aborted kiss with Jack, he'd never given any serious thought to what was involved with intimacy between two men. At least, not beyond the obvious, and he was pretty sure he'd never be willing to go that far. The thought of surrendering his body in that way was vaguely terrifying. But now that his pent-up desire for Jack had been unleashed, he wasn't ready for this to be over. He could happily continue kissing Jack for hours, but he wanted more.

Despite the anxiety twisting deep in stomach, he forced aside his reticence and held Jack's uncertain gaze. "I don't want to stop."

"You're sure?" Jack repeated.

Ianto simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak further.

Jack stroked his cheek again, then leaned in and gave him a brief but firm kiss. "Then we should get more comfortable. Your room or mine?"

Ianto had to suppress a shudder as he considered the state of Jack's bed linen. Besides, whatever was going to happen, he needed the advantage of his own turf. He gave Jack a withering glare. "Mine."

Jack chuckled. "I thought you'd say that." He grasped hold of Ianto's hand and pulled him forward. "Come on."

They crossed the threshold of Ianto's bedroom, Jack closing the door behind them. After extricating his hand from Jack's, Ianto turned on the lamp on the bedside table, bathing the room in a subdued glow that wasn't quite as unforgiving as the brighter overhead light. He busied himself with the bed covers, trying to ignore the slight trembling of his hands. Stilling his movements as he felt Jack's hands settle on his hips, he took a deep breath to steady himself as Jack gently turned him around.

"You okay?" Jack asked, looking into his eyes.

Ianto nodded, forcing himself to hold Jack's gaze. "Yep. Just a bit nervous."

"You don't need to be." Jack gave him a disarming, surprisingly tentative smile. "Although, truth be told, I'm a little nervous, too. It's been a while for me, and you must know I've wanted this. I just didn't think it would ever happen."

Ianto was taken aback by Jack's honesty. "I guess that makes two of us then."

He watched as Jack slipped off the greatcoat and tossed it over the chair by the desk in the corner of the room. Then they were back in each other's arms, their mouths pressed together in another passionate kiss, the heat between them reigniting. Without breaking contact, Ianto began fumbling at the buttons of Jack's shirt, suddenly desperate for Jack's bare flesh. The irony wasn't lost on him. He'd gone to lengths to keep Jack covered up within the confines of the flat, and now all he could think about was how much he wanted to feast his eyes on the man's naked body.

Jack worked on unfastening his trousers, kicking them away as Ianto finally succeeded in pulling off Jack's shirt. Jack broke their kiss, tugging off his socks, then almost tearing his white undershirt away. With only a snug pair of navy blue boxer briefs remaining, a smirk pulled at his lips, as if he was reading Ianto's mind. All Ianto could do was stare, transfixed, his mouth dry and his crotch tight as he took in the sight of Jack's smooth, sculpted body.

"Your turn," Jack murmured, beginning to unbutton Ianto's shirt. Within moments his shirt, undervest, jeans, and socks had joined the untidy pile of clothes on the floor.

Jack's eyes were dark and intent as they roamed over Ianto's almost naked body, and with a flush of heat warming his face, Ianto felt his earlier determination begin to waver. He had to resist the urge to cover himself, the relatively skimpy black briefs he was still wearing doing little to disguise his fierce arousal.

As he continued to stare at Jack, he was struck by the stark contrast between them. Jack's smooth skin looked almost golden in the muted light, and he was mostly hairless apart from the fine dark hair on his arms and legs and the modest trail leading downwards from his navel. Ianto's pale skin seemed almost white in comparison, and he wasn't close to being as broad and muscular as Jack. He was quite hairy compared to Jack, dark swirls extending across most of his chest, thickening in the middle and tapering downwards, expanding over his stomach, with a thick trail leading to the dark nest of his crotch. He'd caught a glimpse of the small, contained patches of hair adorning Jack's armpits, whereas his own was substantially thicker and more expansive.

He swallowed nervously. It was impossible not to feel self-conscious with this specimen of male perfection standing mere inches in front of him. "You... ah... you don't mind that we're so different?"

Jack frowned, appearing confused by the question. Then he shook his head. Reaching out, he moved a large hand slowly up the length of Ianto's torso, caressing the skin and teasing the dark strands of hair between his fingers. Ianto trembled, Jack's touch sending shivers of pleasure racing along his spine. When Jack teased a nipple, stroking the sensitive skin until it hardened beneath his thumb, Ianto failed to hold back a soft moan.

"Do you have any idea how much I've wanted to touch you like this?" Jack's voice was soft and seductive. "How much I've wanted to run my fingers through this sexy hair?" He punctuated his words with a gentle tug. "Damn, you've been driving me crazy all this time and you probably didn't even know it."

"Oh." Ianto cringed at his lack of eloquence, but he couldn't think of anything to say. It didn't seem possible that someone like Jack would fantasise about him. He wasn't anything special. "No," he murmured. "I had no idea."

"I have to admit I'm kind of jealous," Jack continued, with a self-deprecating chuckle. "If I had hair like this, I'd never be able to stop touching myself. You know, as much as I appreciate the human body in all its shapes and sizes, I've always had a thing for hairy men. Nothing too extreme... men just like you. I like a man who doesn't try to hide his masculinity."

Jack traced his fingers along Ianto's collarbone and stroked the hollow at the base of his throat. "You're gorgeous, Ianto." His gaze shifted down to Ianto's crotch, his lips curving into a suggestive grin. "Plus, don't forget I've already seen a glimpse of the entire package. I know what I'm talking about."

Ianto would have rolled his eyes and offered an appropriate retort if he hadn't been so distracted by Jack's teasing fingers. He couldn't help feeling a bit flattered by Jack's words, even if he wasn't entirely sure of their sincerity. Somehow though, he didn't think that Jack was spinning him a line. Jack might be a lot of things, but he didn't seem to be someone who toyed with other people's emotions.

As Jack continued to explore, Ianto could no longer resist the urge to reciprocate. He reached forward and touched Jack's broad chest, tentatively tracing his fingers over the firm pectoral muscles. Encouraged by Jack's murmur of appreciation, he stroked a nipple, causing Jack to inhale a sharp breath, and he watched with fascination as the soft skin hardened under his touch. He repeated the process on Jack's other nipple.

Jack pulled him in, pressing their bare chests together and claiming his lips again, one hand gripping the back of his neck as the other slid down his spine and settled on his arse, eager fingers sliding under the waistband of his underwear and teasing the bare flesh beneath. Jack's warm, firm skin felt incredibly sensual against his own, while the grinding together of their erections, separated by just the twin layers of their underwear, offered a tantalising promise of the pleasures ahead. Combined with the insistence of Jack's fingers and the intensity of the kiss, Ianto was overwhelmed by a myriad of sensations. He moaned as Jack's peaked nipples grazed his own, sending spikes of arousal directly to his crotch.

Jack moved them backwards until they tumbled onto the bed, their lips not breaking contact. It wasn't until they finally pulled apart that Ianto's apprehension got the better of him. Sprawled on his bed, both of them almost naked, the weight of Jack's larger body pressing down upon him, it was suddenly all too real. As much as he couldn't deny that he wanted this, he hated feeling so unprepared and out of control. He'd been burying himself in denial, refusing to acknowledge his attraction to Jack. He'd never imagined that anything would actually happen between them.

Just as Jack began to dive in for another kiss, Ianto placed his hands against Jack's chest to halt his advance. "Jack, I don't know what to do," he admitted, embarrassment sending another rush of heat to his face. "With another man, I mean."

Jack stared down at him, but he didn't seem perturbed. "We can do whatever you want, Ianto. Kiss, touch, taste, explore. Just enjoy each other." He grasped Ianto's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "No pressure, okay? I don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with."

Ianto stared back at him, still uncertain, but a little less anxious. "Okay."

Jack pulled away and scooted back a bit, then without ceremony he tugged off his briefs and tossed them to the floor. He reclined back on the bed, putting himself on display in front of Ianto and looking completely at ease. "You can touch me... do anything you like."

Ianto swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on Jack's imposing erection. Jack looked big and intimidating, even though they weren't very different in size, with Jack probably only a little bit longer and maybe slightly thicker. He couldn't deny that he was captivated by the sight. As strange as it seemed, his foremost thought was that Jack was beautiful.

Stretching out beside his bedmate, he slowly stroked his hand along Jack's length, tentatively at first, but gaining confidence with Jack's murmured encouragements. He ran his thumb over the slick head, enjoying the sensation and realising that it wasn't so different to touching himself. He hadn't expected that touching another man would be so erotic, and he found himself relishing every moan of pleasure that escaped Jack's lips. Continuing to stroke and explore, Ianto used his other arm to pull Jack closer, kissing him deeply.

Jack pushed his hand away just as their kiss ended. "I'm too close. I want you to make me come, but not yet."

Ianto wanted to protest, but then Jack was on top of him, trailing eager kisses along his jawline and across his shoulder. "First, I want to explore you some more." Pushing Ianto's arms up, he nuzzled one armpit and then the other. He proceeded to lick and kiss almost every inch of Ianto's chest and stomach, lavishing attention on each nipple in turn. By the time Jack's tongue dipped into the hollow of his navel, Ianto was almost trembling with pleasure.

Jack continued downwards, then stopped with his hands on Ianto's hips and looked up at him,apparently waiting for permission. With a sense of trepidation, Ianto nodded and watched as Jack slowly peeled off his underwear, freeing his aching erection at last.

Jack was silent as he stared down at him, and for a horrible moment Ianto wondered if Jack was disappointed, his comments about the glimpse in the shower notwithstanding. Then Jack looked up and met his eyes, a warm smile spreading across his face. "You're even more beautiful than I remembered."

Spared from an incoherent response, the next sound Ianto produced was a breathless groan as Jack stroked him from root to tip, then fondled his balls and teased at the sensitive skin beneath. Jack pressed his face into Ianto's crotch, tracing his tongue along Ianto's shaft, then taking each of Ianto's balls into his mouth and bathing them in wet warmth. Ianto shuddered with pleasure, then almost cried out when Jack took his erection into his mouth, caressing the head with his tongue before taking him deeper. "Bloody hell," he mumbled, enthralled as he watched his entire length slide into the wet heat of Jack's mouth.

He'd received a few tentative blow jobs in the past from the women he'd been with, but never anything like this. As Jack continued with obvious enthusiasm, he felt like he was coming apart at the seams, his pleasure growing exponentially as warmth flooded his body. "Jack... I... I don't think I can hold on for very long."

Jack released him with a soft pop and smiled up at him. He moved back up the bed, capturing Ianto's mouth in another deep kiss and began stroking Ianto with his hand. The combination of sensations was too intense and within moments Ianto soared over the edge, his climax tearing through him as his release spurted over his chest and stomach. He shuddered through the aftershocks as Jack continued to stroke him until he had nothing left.

"Was that okay?" Jack asked as their lips parted, his hand now moving in lazy patterns over Ianto's slick torso.

Ianto nodded, taking a deep breath as he struggled to regain awareness. "Yeah, uh... that was... incredible."

He looked down at Jack's crotch. Jack was still hard, the smooth head glistening with the pre-ejaculate leaking from its tip. Feeling more confident this time, Ianto grasped hold of Jack and stroked him as they kissed again. It wasn't long before Jack gasped and climaxed, his body jerking as his release coated his abdomen. Ianto kept stroking until Jack was spent, then Jack slumped against him, trembling and breathing hard as he wrapped Ianto in his arms.

They traded lazy kisses and touches until Ianto couldn't ignore the messy state of their bodies any longer. "Jack, we need to get cleaned up."

Jack chuckled, the sound deep and sensual against Ianto's ear. "Clean-freak," he muttered, then groaned as he rolled off the bed. "You stay here. I'll get a towel from the bathroom." He grinned down at Ianto. "You realise we're only getting started, right?"

Ianto felt his eyebrows lift in surprise, while another part of his anatomy began to come back to life. "We are?"

"Yeah." Jack's eyes flickered down to Ianto's crotch, his grin growing wider before he turned away and left the room.

As Ianto awaited Jack's return, he was astonished that he'd made no attempt to cover himself. He was still sprawled out on the bed, the entirety of his naked body on display. In the past, he'd always been quick to cover up after sex, feeling awkward and self-conscious. He realised that no one had ever made him feel as comfortable with his body as Jack had just done. It was both strange and disconcerting that it had taken another man to make him feel so desirable and uninhibited.

Jack returned a few moments later, and Ianto took charge of cleaning them up. Encouraged by his confident and tactile bed partner, Ianto took his turn to explore Jack's body, taking his time and applying his usual fastidious attention to detail. Jack clearly loved the attention, and Ianto lost himself, relishing every touch and taste. He'd never thought of himself as a particularly tactile person, but with Jack he couldn't seem to get enough.

Their second climax occurred as they thrust against one another, Jack hovering over him, the slide of Jack's hard length against his own sending Ianto's arousal into overdrive. The third was with them taking turns in each other's mouths, Ianto astonished to discover how much he enjoyed the feel, weight, and taste of Jack's cock. He'd always been a fast learner, and judging from Jack's response, he'd managed to acquit himself quite well under the circumstances.

Later, when Jack somehow managed to wring a fourth climax from his lagging body, Ianto thought he'd pretty much lost his mind. He supposed that's what happened when someone denied themselves a regular sexual release because of an inexplicable attraction to their annoying flatmate. Even so, he was surprised by his own stamina. While it didn't surprise him that Jack seemed to have an almost insatiable sexual appetite, he'd never thought of himself as a rapid reload, multiple orgasm kind of bloke.

After a final perfunctory wipe of their bodies, he tossed the damp towel on top of their pile of discarded clothing and collapsed back onto the bed, sprawling out next to Jack in a boneless heap. He stared up at the ceiling as he listened to the sound of Jack's slow, steady breathing beside him, feeling overwhelmed, both physically and mentally.

It was several minutes later when Jack broke the silence, nudging Ianto's shoulder with his own. "You never answered my question, by the way."

Ianto tilted his head to look at Jack. "What question?"

"Where did all this come from? When I tried to kiss you that first time, I thought you were going to kill me." Jack turned to face him, propping his head up with one hand. "You kissing me tonight came as quite a surprise."

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" Ianto breathed out a sigh. "I've never been attracted to a man before, but for some reason I'm attracted to you. Seeing you tonight in that coat... I couldn't deny it any longer, no matter how hard I tried." He looked back at the ceiling, unable to hold Jack's penetrating gaze. "I don't understand it. We don't even like each other."

"I'd say we like each other quite a lot after tonight." Jack chuckled, his other hand settling on Ianto's hip, his thumb stroking gently over the bare skin. "I knew I'd charm the pants off you eventually. As it turns out, both figuratively and literally."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "If I had the energy to move more than two inches, I'd kick you out of this bed." There was no malice in his voice, however, only wry amusement.

"No, you wouldn't." Jack's words were matter-of-fact, but his tone conveyed his own humour.

Ianto turned and looked at Jack again. "You're the most infuriating person I've ever known."

"Hey, you're not exactly a walk in the park either, you know," Jack retorted, a grin spreading across his face.

Ianto couldn't stop himself from smiling back. "No, I suppose not."

Stifling a yawn, he dragged the bed covers over their exhausted bodies, and Jack pulled him into a close embrace, their limbs seeming to tangle together almost effortlessly.

Imbued with an unexpected sense of contentment, Ianto settled against Jack's comfortable, solid warmth. As he drifted to sleep, it occurred to him that Jack seemed to be challenging all sorts of assumptions he'd made, not only about himself, but about his flatmate as well.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks as always to Prothrombintime for invaluable encouragement and feedback.

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Ianto found himself alone when he woke the following morning. Uncertain whether he felt relieved or disappointed, he wondered when Jack had left and if he'd stayed the entire night. Having slept soundly and without interruption, the last thing he remembered before succumbing to sleep was being wrapped in the warmth of Jack's naked body.

Stretching out his limbs, he took a deep breath. The unmistakeable smell of sex lingered in the still air, and there was a hint of Jack's musky, masculine scent in the pillow beneath his head. As his mind cleared from the haze of sleep, the events of the previous night replayed, every detail and sensation rendered with near-perfect clarity. He groaned and curled up on his side, pulling the covers up and over his shoulders.

He wasn't ready to face this strange new reality where he and Jack were... he didn't know how to finish that line of thought. He and Jack weren't anything. They were just two people who shared a flat and had indulged in an ill-advised night of debaucherous, mind-blowing sex... sex with a man... sex that he'd initiated by grabbing hold of Jack and kissing him senseless. He still couldn't understand it. He wasn't gay. He wasn't attracted to men. Jack was... well, he didn't know what Jack was. Jack was... different.

Once again he found himself searching his memories, trying to find anything that might suggest his sexuality wasn't as clear-cut as he'd always thought. When he came up blank, he started to recall good-looking men he'd seen or met, even considering actors on television or in films. While he could appreciate that many of them were handsome blokes, and no doubt admired and envied, he didn't feel anything of a sexual nature when he thought about other men.

And yet he'd found everything about Jack's body intensely erotic. Nothing they'd done had felt wrong or distasteful, and he'd be lying to himself if he didn't acknowledge that he'd loved every moment. He'd enjoyed touching Jack, kissing Jack, tasting Jack. He'd been fascinated with the look of rapture on Jack's face as he climaxed. He liked Jack's masculinity, his strength, his firm, well-defined body. He even quite liked that Jack was bigger and stronger than him, enjoying the way Jack's bulk could surround him. To his surprise, he loved how tactile Jack was, enjoying the way that Jack took pleasure from every touch and caress, both given and received. He'd never been with someone who had treated his body with such reverence and appreciation. Jack had made him feel desirable in a way that no one else ever had, not even Lisa.

Jack had been surprisingly gentle and considerate. He'd been patient and undemanding, and he'd acted like nothing less than a gentleman. He couldn't reconcile the Jack of last night with the man he'd observed at his obnoxious best on numerous occasions. He'd begun to see a different side of Jack recently. Despite himself, he was warming to the man, and as unlikely as it seemed, he considered that perhaps they were becoming friends.

He wondered what Jack thought about it all. He wasn't sure if Jack believed his denial of not liking men, or if Jack even cared that he didn't identify as gay or bisexual. Nor did he know what Jack expected, whether this had been a one-off, or if Jack saw this as the beginning of something between them. Now that the proverbial floodgates had been torn open, Jack might assume that he'd found himself a new and readily accessible sexual partner. But the idea of being in any sort of relationship with Jack, even a casual physical one, seemed ludicrous. He didn't want to be involved with a man, he wanted to find love and happiness with a woman, like he'd had with Lisa. Besides, Jack had stated in no uncertain terms that he wasn't interested in relationships.

For Ianto, sex and emotions went hand-in-hand. He'd always enjoyed sex well enough, but the idea of casual no-strings-attached encounters had never held much appeal for him. He believed that sex should be about more than physical gratification, that it should mean something and at least hold the promise of a deeper connection with the other person. At heart he was a traditional sort of bloke and, recent evidence to the contrary, he wasn't sure how he felt about engaging in a purely physical relationship with someone, man or woman.

Amidst his confused, troubled thoughts, a whisper in the back of his mind told him that something profound had happened last night. Something that went beyond physical pleasure. His world had been turned upside down, bringing what had once been fundamental, incontrovertible beliefs about himself into question.

Glancing at his alarm clock, he decided that he'd earned the indulgence of a rare lie-in. Burying himself deeper under the covers, he dozed off again, reawakening an hour later with the sound of movement in the bathroom followed by the flush of the toilet. After hearing the shower turn on, he rubbed at his eyes, reluctantly threw back the bed covers, and climbed to his feet, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Jack was demanding his morning coffee.

He retrieved his crumpled clothes from the pile on the floor, wrinkling his nose as he put them back on until he could take his turn in the bathroom. After stripping the bed, he dumped the sheets along with Jack's discarded clothes and the soiled towel in the basket inside the laundry cupboard next to the bathroom. Retrieving a clean set of sheets from the linen cupboard, he returned to the bedroom and remade the bed.

Finally, after opening the window to air out the room, he picked up the discarded greatcoat. He stared at the coat for a few moments, caressing the thick wool with his fingertips. He'd never thought of himself as having a clothing fetish, although he supposed that was the least of the things he needed to worry about. With a rueful shake of his head, he smoothed out the coat and carried it to Jack's bedroom, carefully hanging it in the wardrobe.

Finding a hungry and unhappy feline waiting for him in the kitchen, he offered breakfast and affection, then turned his attention to the coffee machine, feeling even more in need of his morning caffeine fix than usual.

He was just starting to make porridge when Jack sauntered in, looking relaxed and fresh-faced, and ready to start his day. The older man gave him a unusually gentle smile. "Hey, tiger. Sleep well?"

Ianto found himself staring at Jack, his mind filling with lurid images of Jack's naked, trembling body, his handsome features glowing with euphoria. Jack's use of one of the many despised nicknames barely registered.

Silently cursing the man for being so ridiculously good-looking, Ianto mentally shook himself and cleared his throat. "Um... yeah, thanks. You?"

Jack grinned. "Like a baby. You must have worn me out."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "I could say the same."

Jack moved closer, his smiling features taking on a more uncertain expression. He began to reach forward, as if to caress Ianto's cheek or perhaps pull him in for a kiss, but he seemed to think better of it and lowered his hand. "How are you feeling? Everything okay?"

It was almost on the tip of Ianto's tongue to tell Jack that it was okay to touch him, if that was what he wanted to do. After the level of intimacy they'd shared, it seemed a bit silly to suddenly be so awkward around each other. However, he didn't know what to say or how to begin to negotiate these strange, uncharted waters. He also wasn't sure that he wanted to encourage Jack anymore than he already had.

Instead, he offered up what he hoped was an amiable smile and reached for Jack's coffee mug. "Yep, fine. Coffee?"

"Great, thanks." Jack accepted the beverage with his usual enthusiasm and sipped at it as he leaned back against the counter. "So I need to make a start on that Tourism Board assignment today. I thought you might like to come with me? Get out of the flat for a while and get some fresh air. I'll even treat us to lunch."

Ianto paused from serving up their bowls of porridge and looked at Jack again, this time with both confusion and astonishment. For a brief, absurd moment, he wondered if this was Jack's artless attempt at inviting him on some sort of belated, impromptu date, but he admonished himself for being ridiculous. The timing seemed a bit suspicious though. Other than going to the supermarket and dinner with Tosh and Mary, they'd never spent any time together outside of the flat.

But for some reason he couldn't find it in his heart to reject Jack's offer. From the hopeful look on Jack's face, it almost seemed like the other man genuinely desired his company. He feigned a dubious look, not wanting to give in too easily. "What will you buy us for lunch?"

Jack laughed. "Anything you want. So, is that a yes?"

Ianto nodded. "Yes... yes."

Jack grabbed the nearest bowl of porridge and began eating with his usual gusto. "Great. We'll head out as soon as you're ready."

###

Ianto hoisted the heavy backpack containing Jack's assortment of photographic kit over his shoulder again, having just handed the other man a different camera lens for the umpteenth time.

They'd been walking around Cardiff Bay all morning as Jack took endless photographs. Ianto's legs were tired, and he was getting hungry. "Didn't know I was going to be a bloody pack mule," he muttered irritably.

Jack shot him a grin before attaching the lens to his camera and taking several more shots of the Millennium Centre. "Do you always complain this much?"

Ianto huffed with indignation. "No."

Jack gestured over towards the red-bricked Norwegian Church in the distance. "I just want to get a few shots from over there. Then we'll take a break and have some lunch."

In truth, Ianto had quite enjoyed their morning together, despite his ongoing confusion and uneasiness. Jack had chatted at length about photography, demonstrating both his passion and expertise for the subject. He'd shown Ianto how to use his fancy and somewhat intimidating top-of-the-line Nikon digital SLR camera, explaining all the different lenses in his collection and their uses. Ianto had always been a point-and-click photographer at best, and although some of what Jack had told him went over his head, he'd listened with his usual thirst for knowledge, asking what he hoped were intelligent questions along the way. He was seeing Jack in his element, and he couldn't help finding the man's enthusiasm infectious. Jack had insisted that Ianto try out the camera, which he'd done hesitantly, taking a few shots. He'd handed it back quickly, feeling a bit nervous about handling the expensive piece of equipment that was vital to Jack's livelihood. The close proximity of Jack's body as he'd leaned in over his shoulder and explained how to operate the camera hadn't done anything to ease his anxiety either.

It was a mild mid-summer day, warm enough that the lightweight jackets they'd both chosen to wear over their shirts were more than adequate. The sky was relatively clear, and the brisk sea air was invigorating. Ianto knew that he spent too much time cooped up in the flat, and it was nice to be outdoors for a change. So when Jack had asked what he wanted for lunch he'd suggested that they get fish and chips and eat outside.

After procuring their lunch from one of the busy shops on Mermaid Quay, they found a quiet spot on the large stone steps of the Plass and tucked into their food, sitting side-by-side and watching the bustle of people around them. More hungry than he'd realised, Ianto savoured the tasty fish encased in crunchy batter. Even so, Jack was already munching on his second piece while Ianto was still on his first.

The fifth time that Jack's hand reached to snag one of Ianto's chips, he slapped it away none too gently. Jack had probably thought he was being clever, only acting when Ianto's eyes were elsewhere, but Ianto had noticed the surreptitious theft each time.

"Ow!" Jack protested, rubbing at his abused hand in a dramatic manner.

Ianto narrowed his eyes at the other man. "Serves you right. You were stealing my chips."

"Yours taste better than mine." Jack pouted, then grabbed several of his own chips and shoved them into his mouth.

"Rubbish. They're exactly the same." Ianto only just managed to refrain from adding that it wasn't very becoming for a fully grown man to pout like a five-year old. Still, it made for an amusing image.

"Well, I'm extra hungry today," Jack argued. As if to prove his point, he filled his mouth with more chips.

"And that's your justification for stealing someone else's food, is it?" Ianto rolled his eyes at the man's antics.

Jack looked unrepentant. "You're not going to eat them all anyway."

Ianto raised an eyebrow and decided to accept that little challenge. "We'll just see about that, shall we?"

He continued eating, but by the time he was down to the last dozen or so chips, he was feeling full. With a sigh of defeat, he shoved the parcel at Jack. "Don't you dare say a word."

Jack gave him a self-satisfied grin, then didn't waste any time with finishing off the remaining chips. "Mmm. Delicious."

Shaking his head, Ianto took a mouthful of water from his bottle. He reached into his jacket pocket, extracted several paper napkins and passed a couple of them to Jack. After using the rest to wipe his own hands and mouth, he busied himself with tidying up the detritus from their lunch.

"We should do this more often." Jack's tone was thoughtful. "Hang out together, I mean. Outside of the flat."

Ianto stopped and looked at him in surprise.

Jack shrugged, offering a wry smile. "I know we've had our differences and that things are kind of weird at the moment. But you're good company, Ianto. At least when you loosen up a little."

Ianto chose to ignore that last comment. It didn't take much insight to realise that Jack was probably quite lonely. He wasn't seeing anyone, and now that Owen and Rhys had their own busy lives, Jack was more or less on his own. He'd noticed that Jack didn't seem to spend as much time with his two best friends these days, although at least he still got to spend time with Rhys at work. As for himself, he had Tosh, but she also had her own busy life as well. Neither he or Jack had any family to speak off. Jack's mother lived in Scotland, his father had passed away several years ago, and his younger brother, Gray, lived somewhere in Canada. From what he could tell, Jack and his brother weren't close. In some ways, all he and Jack had at the moment was each other. It was a sobering thought. He could relate to loneliness, and the solitary nature of his work as a writer heightened that sense of isolation. For the most part he didn't mind, but as he looked back on his time alone after Lisa and then the time since Jack had burst into his life, he realised how much he'd grown to value Jack's presence, in spite of their differences. He wondered if the events of the night before had been fuelled not only by lust and sexual frustration, but also by loneliness.

"Jack, look... about last night..." he began, deciding that they couldn't avoid the subject any longer.

Jack quickly interjected. "You don't need to say anything, Ianto. I understand."

"What do you mean?" Ianto frowned in confusion.

Jack sighed and continued to look at him for a moment, appearing reluctant to continue. "I knew that last night would be a one-time thing. You're not interested in being involved with another man, I get that, and as for me, I don't know what the hell I want. The last time I got involved with someone, I ran for the hills as soon as it started getting serious." He paused and a sad smile passed over his lips. "We had an incredible night together, one I'm always going to remember. But I'm under no illusions here. So you don't need to worry about anything. Nothing has to change between us."

Ianto wasn't sure what he'd expected Jack to say, but it hadn't been that. "You, er... you don't regret it though, do you?"

As soon as the words had left his mouth, he realised it was a ridiculous thing to ask. But he didn't want Jack to think of their night together as a mistake. Not only because he'd been the one to initiate things by kissing Jack, but also because, regardless of his conflicted, confused feelings about it all, he couldn't bring himself to think of it as something unfortunate and regrettable. It had been an incredible night, just as Jack had said, and he wanted to remember it that way.

Jack shook his head. "No, not at all. Do you?"

"No," Ianto replied. "No, I don't."

An expression of relief passed over Jack's features. "Good. I'm glad."

They held each other's gaze, and Ianto didn't know what else to say. Then Jack stood up, clapping him on the shoulder. "We should make a move. There's a few other locations I want to shoot today while the light's still good."

Ianto nodded, collecting their things and rising to his feet. He knew that he should feel relieved, and a part of him did, but inexplicably he also felt a deep and unsettling sense of disappointment.

###

The next few weeks passed relatively peacefully. Apart from some occasional awkwardness, they settled back into their regular roles and routines, almost as if nothing had happened. Ianto returned to working on his book with renewed determination. He incorporated Jack's suggestions, along with several more, and Jack became a valuable sounding board and beta reader.

However, Ianto hadn't failed to notice that there were some subtle changes between them. Jack continued to be an unrepentant slob, but he seemed a little less insensitive, his trademark obnoxious behaviour toned down a notch or two. His mood seemed a bit more variable. Sometimes he could be a little distant and aloof, other times he was smiling and affectionate, treating Ianto almost like his new best friend.

Jack had even dragged him out on a clothes shopping expedition the previous weekend, claiming that he needed Ianto's discerning eye. Much like going to the supermarket, shopping for clothing with Jack had proven to be an utterly mortifying experience. Jack had tried on nearly every style of jeans in the store, constantly demanding to know if they made his butt look too big. On the plus side, Ianto hadn't gone home empty-handed. Jack had insisted he try on a pair of jeans that he'd declared would look amazing on him. They had looked good, but when Ianto had balked at the price-tag, Jack had waved away his protests and bought them for him.

The antagonism between them had lost its edge, and every now and then Ianto caught Jack watching him, an unreadable expression clouding his handsome face. Ianto found himself watching Jack sometimes as well, his thoughts never seeming to drift far from the night they'd shared.

In his weaker moments, Ianto continued to fantasise about Jack, his imagination conjuring up a seemingly endless variety of erotic scenarios and encounters. On more than one occasions when Jack wasn't home, he found himself at the other man's wardrobe and staring at the greatcoat he liked so much. He'd even slipped it on once, wrapping himself in the dark wool and foolishly trying to detect a hint of Jack's scent in the collar.

As the days passed, it seemed apparent that this thing between them was still simmering below the surface, a scant few hours of passion not being enough to purge it from their systems. He couldn't help wondering if it was only a matter of time before it once again overwhelmed him.

Then salvation came in an unlikely form. It was early Wednesday morning and he was heading out to pick up a few items from the supermarket and replenish their supply of coffee beans. Jack hadn't yet surfaced and as Ianto locked the door of the flat behind him, he turned to find Rose Tyler coming up the stairs, a bright smile lighting up her face as she spotted him. He smiled in return and they exchanged greetings.

Rose looked at him, her warm, brown eyes curious. "I've been meaning to catch up. I wanted to ask you how things are going with Jack?"

"Well, it's been a learning process," Ianto replied, rolling his eyes. "To say the least."

Rose laughed and tucked a wayward lock of her straight, shoulder-length blonde hair behind her ear. "I can imagine. I'm glad he moved in with you, I think it's been good for him. I know he can come across as a bit of a tosser, but he's a really nice bloke."

Ianto smiled and nodded. "Yeah... yeah, he is."

"Ianto, I was wondering..." Rose bit down on her lower lip, appearing nervous. "I know it might seem weird, but I wondered if you'd like to go out sometime?"

Ianto felt his eyebrows lift in surprise. "Do you mean on a date?" he asked uncertainly.

Rose nodded. "Yeah, a date."

Ianto grinned despite his astonishment. "Your mum didn't put you up to this, did she? That time I had dinner with her, I think she was trying to play matchmaker."

"Oh, God! I know." Rose gave a long-suffering sigh. "She never gives up. But I was thinking about it and we've both been single for a while now... just thought it might be fun. If it's too weird or you don't want to..."

Ianto shook his head. "No, I'd like to." He thought for a moment. "How about Friday night? I can meet you downstairs at say seven o'clock?"

"Okay, yeah. Brilliant." Rose's features relaxed into a warm smile. "I've got to go, but I'll see you Friday then."

Ianto smiled back. "Yep. See you then."

Rose dashed off, leaving Ianto staring after her. He'd surprised himself by his ready acceptance of her offer, but as he thought about it, he realised that it might be just what he needed. Rose was very attractive, quite beautiful in fact, and although he didn't know her very well, he liked her enthusiasm and friendliness. He was dating Lisa when he'd bought the flat and first met Rose, so he'd never thought about her as a potential romantic interest.

He needed to get his mind off the Jack situation, and going on a date with a desirable and vibrant young woman seemed like it might be the perfect solution.


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to Prothrombintime for always graciously offering feedback and encouragement.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

"Um... Jack, do I look all right?"

Jack blinked with the sound of Ianto's voice and looked up from the television, realising that he had no idea what he'd been watching for the last half hour. He'd been staring blindly at the screen, his mind lost in a churning sea of confused thoughts. Since Ianto had announced two days earlier that he was going on a date with Rose, Jack had been miserable, out of sorts, and short-tempered. He couldn't seem to concentrate on anything, and he'd even lost his appetite for food. He could count on one hand, with a finger or two to spare, the number of times he'd experienced emotional turmoil sufficient enough to adversely affect his eating habits.

It had been three and a half weeks since his and Ianto's unexpected night of passion, and he couldn't seem to stop thinking about it. He'd tried to accept it for what it was, rationalising that it was the inevitable outcome of the sexual tension between them, despite not being aware of Ianto's harbouring desires until the younger man had grabbed hold of him and kissed him senseless. Jack was fairly pragmatic when it came to sex and physical intimacy. As long as it was safe and consensual, he saw no reason not to freely indulge in the fundamental human pleasure. If there was an itch that needed to be scratched, then you scratched it, simple as that. And although he'd been living a life of celibacy since his breakup with Tommy, he'd never been good at self-denial. So when a beautiful and desirable man – a man who Jack had fantasised about almost from the moment they'd met – virtually threw himself at him, he wasn't going to refuse what was on offer. His desire for his flatmate had quickly overridden any concerns about the wisdom of their actions.

Their night together had been nothing short of spectacular and better than he could have imagined. Once Ianto had managed to overcome his initial nervousness, he'd proven himself to be a capable, generous, and passionate sexual partner. Jack had loved touching and exploring Ianto, overwhelmed by the desire to kiss and taste every part of him. Revelling in the feel of Ianto's naked body against his own, he'd delighted in watching Ianto come undone with pleasure. Given the younger man's guarded and taciturn nature, the intimacy they'd shared had felt different and more profound than anything Jack could remember experiencing in the past. He'd felt privileged to be the only man Ianto had been with intimately, and as they'd finally succumbed to sleep, their bodies warm, relaxed, and wrapped around each other, he'd felt content in a way that he wasn't sure he'd ever known before.

However, he'd tried to do what he felt was right. Ianto had denied that he was anything other than heterosexual, and he didn't strike Jack as a man who engaged in casual sex, regardless of the gender of his partner. If Ianto had just been a random hookup, Jack would have suggested that they could continue to have fun together. But living under the same roof complicated things, and he hadn't wanted to risk screwing that up. Plus, he'd grown to think of Ianto as a friend and someone he cared about. So he'd tried to give Ianto an out by telling him that he knew their night together had been a one-off occurrence. It was the last thing he'd wanted, but it had seemed like the right thing to do, for both their sakes. Ianto could regard those few hours as an aberration, a brief dalliance with sexual experimentation – not something to be denied, feel guilty about, or to think of as regrettable in any way, but also not something that needed to be over-analysed. Plenty of people experimented at some point in their lives, and it didn't have to mean anything. He'd tried to take comfort in his altruism, telling himself that he couldn't risk forming an emotional attachment to his flatmate. He didn't want to repeat his past mistakes and end up hurting Ianto as he had Tommy.

But as the days since had passed, he found himself looking at Ianto with an intense longing that seemed to reach down and twist at his soul, and he'd begun to regret his decision. Now it seemed that Ianto had decided it was time to move on with his life, and Jack had lost his chance of sharing anything more with the other man beyond the companionship of flatmates.

Ianto was standing several feet away, biting down on his lower lip and tugging at the sleeves of his jacket. Standing up, Jack swept his eyes over the length of Ianto's tall, lean body. Ianto was attired in the jeans that Jack had bought for him on their most recent shopping adventure, the dark denim accentuating his long legs and slim hips. A black shirt with the top two buttons open and a fitted black leather jacket that Jack had never seen before completed the outfit. Ianto looked stunning. A tightening sensation clenched at Jack's chest, an occurrence that was becoming increasingly common when he allowed his gaze to linger on the Welshman, and for a moment he found it difficult to breath.

Jack swallowed hard, plastering on a smile that he hoped wasn't too transparent. He walked over to stand in front of Ianto. "You look gorgeous. Rose is a very lucky lady." Unable to stop himself, he traced his fingers along Ianto's shoulder, caressing the supple leather. He gave Ianto's shoulder a quick squeeze before breaking contact. "I like the jacket. Is it new?"

Ianto shook his head. "Just something I had stashed in the back of my wardrobe. Haven't worn it in ages." He frowned and glanced down at himself. "It's not too much, is it?"

"No, it's perfect," Jack assured him. He looked into Ianto's eyes, noticing the anxiety in the blue depths. "Are you nervous?"

"A bit." Ianto fiddled with his jacket again. "It's... well, it's been a while."

A hint of a self-deprecating smile passed over Ianto's lips and it took all of Jack's self-control not to lean forward and claim those tempting lips with his own. He tried not to think about the possibility of Rose having the opportunity to do that very soon. His stomach twisted uncomfortably with the unwelcome thought.

"Just be yourself. You'll be fine." Jack tried to give him an encouraging smile.

Ianto didn't look reassured. "Are you sure this is okay... me and Rose going out together? If it's too weird..."

"I told you, it's okay," Jack replied, hoping his features didn't betray him. "Really."

Admittedly, he'd been shocked to learn that Rose had asked Ianto out. However, putting emotions aside, he'd realised that it might be good for both of them. Rose hadn't been herself in recent times, John's sudden departure to America leaving her heartbroken, and Ianto had been struggling to get over Lisa. They were both probably quite lonely, much like Jack had been since Tommy. Rose was spirited and beautiful, and there was no denying that Ianto was quite a catch, so a mutual attraction wasn't surprising. Besides, he had no claim over Ianto, and Rose had no idea that he and Ianto were anything other than flatmates.

Ianto nodded, although he frowned slightly. "You're right for dinner? Not going to decimate the kitchen?"

"I'll be fine. I'll probably order a pizza." Jack looked over to where Moses was sprawled out on the sofa, watching them with sleepy eyes. "I'm just going to hang out with my best bud and watch a movie or two."

"Right." Ianto looked at his watch and tugged at his sleeves again. "I suppose I should go then."

Jack made a valiant attempt to push aside his warring emotions. "You two crazy kids have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He gave Ianto a suggestive wink.

"That doesn't exactly limit our scope, does it?" Ianto rolled his eyes, but a hint of a smile passed over his lips. "You know, you'd make a terrible father."

"Probably," Jack agreed with a nonchalant shrug.

He watched as Ianto collected his keys and left the flat. With a sigh, he collapsed back onto the sofa and pulled Moses into his lap, giving the feline a tummy rub. "Looks like it's just you and me tonight, buddy."

###

Jack pushed his plate aside, then grabbed his beer bottle and took a mouthful. He smiled at his friend. "Great lasagne, Rhys. Thanks."

Rhys stood up from where he was perched next to Jack at the breakfast bar of Rhys and Gwen's kitchen. "Hang on, I'll get you another helping."

"No, thanks. I'm good." Jack waved his bottle in a dismissive gesture.

Rhys eased back into his chair, but he looked at Jack as if he'd suddenly sprouted a second head. "Okay, what's going on, Jack? Is it Ianto again? What did you do this time?"

"I didn't do anything!" Jack protested with a scowl. "Why do you always think I'm the one who did something wrong?" When Rhys just continued to look at him without saying a word, he muttered under his breath and waved a hand through the air. "Okay, don't answer that. It's just... well, me and Ianto..." He trailed off, not sure how or whether to continue.

"Come on, mate. Tell me what's going on. Maybe I can set you straight." Rhys chuckled, obviously realising the double meaning of what he'd just said. "Er... no pun intended."

Jack smiled weakly. He hadn't told Rhys anything about what had happened between himself and Ianto, and he wasn't usually one to kiss and tell. There was no way he would have said anything to Owen, but he knew that Rhys could be trusted to be discrete, and Rhys had a level-headed, no-nonsense way of looking at things. If anyone could help him make sense of the situation, it was the man sitting beside him.

He downed the rest of his beer and held up the empty bottle. "I'm going to need another one of these."

With fresh bottles of beer in hand, they retreated to the sofa of the small and somewhat crowded living area. The flat wasn't anywhere near as smart, luxurious, or spacious as Ianto's, but it had a comfortable, lived in atmosphere, and despite the clutter and eclectic mix of furniture, some of it looking a bit the worse for wear, it was neat and clean. Rhys might not have shared Ianto's level of obsession with order and cleanliness, but he took pride in his home all the same. Fortunately for Jack, Gwen was having a night out with some friends, so they had the flat to themselves.

Jack sipped at his beer, then with a heavy sigh he told Rhys what had transpired with Ianto, trying to be as discrete as possible and keeping the details to a minimum. To Rhys' credit, he remained silent until Jack had finished the tale, although his features reflected his growing astonishment.

"Bloody hell, Jack!" Rhys shook his head, then gave Jack a confused look. "But I don't get it, I thought you hated him. You complain about the poor bloke often enough."

"I've never hated him," Jack countered, running the fingers of one hand distractedly through his hair. "I didn't like him in the beginning and he annoyed the hell out of me. But we've gotten to know each other better, and... well, I suppose things have kind of changed. I'm not saying he isn't a monumental pain in the arse at times. He's a pedantic little bastard and a compulsive clean-freak. But he's not so bad once you get to know him." He shrugged. "I suppose he's an acquired taste."

Rhys gave him a knowing grin. "He's not the only one." He chuckled, took a mouthful of his beer and swallowed it down, then looked thoughtful. "Right, so now he's dating Rose and you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous!" Jack retorted, putting as much conviction into the words as he could muster. "I've never been jealous over anyone in my life. I just..." He paused, shaking his head in confusion. "Damn it. I like him, Rhys. He stands up to me and doesn't take any of my crap. He's gorgeous and sexy, he's moody as hell, and he's got a temper you wouldn't believe. But beneath all that he's this warm, sweet, passionate guy. He's intelligent and funny, and I don't think he realises how completely beguiling he can be. I've never known anyone like him."

Rhys slowly blew out a breath and took another gulp from his bottle. "You've got it bad. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in love."

Jack nearly choked on a mouthful of beer. He stared at Rhys, mouth agape. He couldn't love Ianto. He wasn't even sure if he was capable of love, at least not in the way that Rhys was suggesting. Not like Rhys felt for Gwen, or Owen for Katie. He was fairly certain that what he'd experienced in the past had been more lust than love.

"It's not like that," he finally managed, the words coming out in a hoarse splutter. He swallowed and cleared his throat. "And even if I did have feelings for him, I don't want to be trapped in a relationship. I almost made that mistake once before and look how that worked out. Besides, I don't want to be someone's dirty little secret. I couldn't be with someone who won't accept their sexuality."

Rhys nodded, but a sceptical frown creased his forehead. "All right, I suppose I can understand that. Doesn't mean you're not jealous though."

"Rhys, I'm not..." Jack began to protest again.

Rhys seemed torn between amusement and exasperation. "You're jealous, Jack. Admit it."

"All right. Maybe I am." Cringing at the defensive tone of his voice, Jack silently cursed the Welshman's stubbornness. "So what?"

"Well, what do you want, Jack?" Rhys appeared to study him for a moment. "If this is just about sex, surely you can find someone else? It's not like you've ever had a problem with that before."

Jack sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. "It's not just about sex. If that's all it was, it wouldn't be a problem. But you're probably right," he agreed, even though the suggestion didn't appeal to him in the least. "I should get out more and try to take my mind off Ianto. I can't talk to him about any of this, and I don't want to do anything to screw things up for him and Rose. They seem to be hitting it off." He gave a half-hearted chuckle. "They're having dinner with Jackie tonight. Knowing Jackie, she probably thinks she's well on the way to getting herself a son-in-law." He winced in sympathy for Ianto before becoming serious again. "Anyway, even if he was interested in me, I don't have anything to offer him. He deserves better."

Jack didn't know what he wanted, and that was the problem. Sex was a part of it, of course, but it wasn't as simple as that. In the grander scheme of things, he supposed the problem was that he wanted the best of both worlds. He wanted the benefits of a relationship, but without the inherent downsides. He didn't want to feel like he had to change himself to become someone's ideal of the perfect boyfriend or partner. He was certain that would only end in resentment... that he'd wake up one day and look in the mirror and not even recognise himself anymore. He'd known that would have eventually happened if he'd stayed with Tommy.

Rhys let out a sigh of his own. "I'm sorry, mate. I really am. If the situation was different, I might have given you a swift kick up the arse, told you to get your act together, take a chance, and win Ianto over. But Rose is our friend, too."

Jack nodded. "Don't worry, Rhys, I'm not going to do anything stupid." He gave Rhys a wan smile. "Thanks for listening to me ramble on. I guess I needed to unload."

"That's what mates are for." Rhys looked at Jack with a sympathetic expression, and Jack knew that if it were possible, Rhys wouldn't hesitate to do anything he could to fix the situation. He patted Jack on the shoulder as he stood up. "Let's try to at least cheer you up for a bit. I'll get us some more beers while you pick out a trashy bloke film."

"Yeah, sounds good." Jack smiled gratefully at his friend, then stood up and moved to the television cabinet to peruse Rhys' DVD collection.

###

It was Saturday evening and Jack had spent the last hour restlessly prowling the flat. Out of boredom, he'd even tidied up his bedroom, wondering with no small amount of horror if Ianto's obsession with cleanliness was beginning to rub off on him. He'd shuddered at the thought.

Ianto was out again, having gone with Rose to a swanky new restaurant in town called Alonso's. Rhys had recently done the promotional photography for the restaurant and the owner had given him several gift cards for dinners for two. Rhys, always generous to a fault, had distributed them to his friends, and Rose hadn't hesitated to invite Ianto to accompany her.

Once again Jack had watched as Ianto departed for his date, this time dressed in the suit he'd worn to the dinner party with Tosh and Mary. And again Jack was home alone, with only Moses and the television for company. He'd thought about going out and finding a hot young body to lose himself in for the night, but decided he wasn't in the mood for the companionship of a stranger. He'd stay at home and feel sorry for himself instead.

He'd tried to watch a Bond movie, but he'd turned it off half-way through, realising he hadn't been taking any notice of the action on the screen. It wasn't the same without Ianto sitting beside him, demonstrating his almost encyclopedic knowledge of the fictional world they both loved.

All he could think about was Ianto and Rose having their romantic evening together. He wanted it to be him wining and dining Ianto, making Ianto smile and laugh, and looking into those captivating blue eyes. He wanted it to be him thinking how lucky he was to have the undivided attention of such a beautiful young man.

He'd snorted with contempt, thoroughly disgusted with himself for being so pathetic and moping around like a teenager with a high school crush. He didn't know what the hell was wrong with him.

He was sprawled out along the sofa when the sound of the front door being unlocked roused him from his beleaguered thoughts. Sitting up carefully so as not to dislodge Moses, he frowned as he glanced at his discarded watch on the coffee table. He hadn't expected Ianto to be home so early.

Ianto appeared, locking the door behind him and offering a subdued greeting as he took off his shoes and suit jacket. He vanished into his bedroom before Jack had managed to climb to his feet. His curiosity piqued, he listened for a few moments as Ianto used the bathroom, then followed in Ianto's wake. He found Ianto sitting on the bed, elbows on his knees, eyes downcast.

"Ianto? What's wrong?" Jack asked, leaning against the door frame.

Ianto glanced up at him. "I won't be seeing Rose again."

"What happened?" Jack frowned in confusion at the same time that a spark of hope ignited inside him, making him feel like a complete bastard. He moved into the room and sat down beside the other man. "I thought you two were hitting it off?"

"Yeah, I suppose we were," Ianto murmured. He looked up at Jack, but didn't say anything for a moment. "That Doctor bloke she was involved with," he finally continued. "He called Rose last night out of the blue, told her what an idiot he'd been, and said he's coming back to be with her. Rose said she's been trying to move on, but she still loves him. She apologised, and we had a nice dinner. I hope they manage to work things out."

"Huh. Well, that was unexpected. I never thought we'd hear from John again." Jack didn't manage to hide the surprise from his voice. He just hoped that the man really had come to his senses and wouldn't hurt Rose again.

The next time he saw John Smith, he wasn't sure whether he'd want to kiss him or punch him. He suspected he'd probably end up doing both.

A hint of a wry smile passed over Ianto's lips. "Rose said Jackie's going mental."

Jack could well imagine Jackie's outraged reaction to the news. She might end up getting a son-in-law after all, just not the one she'd hoped for. He rested a hand on Ianto's knee. "I'm sorry."

Ianto shrugged. "It's not like it was some great romance. I liked her though and we seemed to get along. Anyway, it's probably for the best."

An unreadable expression passed over Ianto's features as they held each other's gaze. Then, looking away and clearing his throat, Ianto stood up and hung his jacket in the wardrobe. He glanced back over his shoulder at Jack, but proceeded to strip off his suit trousers and hang them up as well. After retrieving a pair of pyjamas, he closed the wardrobe and turned back towards Jack. "Think I'll turn in and get some sleep."

Jack noted that the pyjamas in Ianto's hand were the blue ones with the cartoon sheep. The same ones that Jack had teased him about on the day he'd moved in, and the same ones that Ianto had once confessed he only wore when he was feeling stressed or upset.

Standing up, he took the pyjamas from Ianto and dropped them onto the bed. Then he pulled the other man into a hug, holding him close. "I really am sorry," he murmured against Ianto's ear. "I know it can't have been easy to start dating again."

Ianto was tense for a moment, but then his body relaxed, his arms winding around Jack as the smooth warmth of his recently shaven cheek rubbed against Jack's more stubbled skin. Jack took a deep breath, savouring the familiar heady fragrance of Ianto's aftershave combined with the Welshman's own unique, masculine scent.

With the now familiar sense of longing welling up in his chest, Jack closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy having Ianto in his arms again.


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks as always to Prothrombintime for invaluable feedback and encouragement. I know that some of you were unhappy about the lack of Ianto's POV in the previous chapter and this chapter continues from Jack's POV. However, the next couple of chapters after this one will mostly be from Ianto's POV. Hope that helps.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

"Thanks, Jack," Ianto murmured.

Jack pulled back and looked into Ianto's eyes. Not for the first time, he was captivated by the vulnerability he found in their blue depths. Acting on instinct, he lifted his hand and traced his fingertips down the smooth skin of Ianto's jawline. Ianto's eyes widened in response, and his breath caught just slightly, but he didn't otherwise move or speak.

Before he could consider the wisdom of his actions, Jack leaned in and brushed his lips against Ianto's, the brief but tender contact a marked contrast to the kisses they'd shared previously.

"Jack..." Ianto began, his voice little more than a whisper.

Jack cut him on off with another kiss, still brief, but a little more insistent this time. He slid his hand around to the back of Ianto's neck and stroked the skin beneath Ianto's shirt collar. "Come to bed with me."

Ianto blinked and looked momentarily lost for words. "Jack... we've been through this. I'm not trying to deny what happened between us, but I'm not gay..."

Jack wondered if Ianto still genuinely believed that his sexuality was so indisputable. And although he didn't doubt that Ianto found Rose attractive, he suspected that part of it was Ianto trying to reassert his heterosexuality. It was a unique situation for Jack. He'd never been with a man before who didn't identify as gay or bisexual. He'd never wanted that sort of unnecessary complication, but then he'd never been enamoured with someone like Ianto before either. With the benefit of hindsight, it occurred to him that perhaps he hadn't done Ianto any favours by prematurely ending their involvement. He wanted Ianto to broaden his horizons and explore his sexuality, not continue to deny it. Selfishly, he wanted to be the person who opened Ianto's eyes to new possibilities and who Ianto trusted to take him on a journey of sexual self-discovery.

He shrugged in response. "I never said you were."

Ianto frowned, but he seemed determined to continue. "You said that we... that this wouldn't happen again..."

Jack gave a dismissive shake of his head. "I know, but I don't care about any of that. Maybe I was wrong. I want you. I'm pretty sure there's at least a part of you that still wants me. Can't that be enough?"

He held Ianto's gaze. Beyond the obvious doubt and confusion, he found a raw and undeniable need that mirrored his own. Continuing to caress Ianto's neck, he willed the younger man to let go and give in to what he was certain they both wanted. "Tell me what you want, Ianto."

Ianto looked downwards and took an unsteady breath. Jack considered that he was pushing too hard and possibly taking advantage of the situation, letting his impulsiveness get the better of him yet again. He began to pull away, but Ianto suddenly grabbed hold of his face with both hands and captured his mouth with a fierce, breath-stealing kiss. Groaning in response, Jack pulled Ianto closer and returned the kiss with all the passion and longing he'd been struggling to suppress.

"I want you." Ianto's words were a tremulous whisper against Jack's lips. "I haven't stopped."

Elated both by Ianto's confession and the unexpected kiss, Jack claimed Ianto's lips again. The kiss was every bit as passionate as the one before, and as it deepened and became more desperate, any lingering concerns Jack had were washed away.

When they eventually pulled apart, he repeated his earlier entreaty, this time more earnestly. "Come to bed with me." He grasped hold of Ianto's hand and tugged him towards the doorway.

Ianto resisted, pulling his hand from Jack's. "Where are we going?"

"My room," Jack replied, turning back to look at him.

Under different circumstances, he might have found the look of horror on Ianto's face more amusing. Instead, he shook his head in exasperation. "I changed my sheets the other day. After you nagged me about it for a week, as you might remember. I've even tidied up."

Ianto still didn't move. He gave Jack a sceptical look, then glanced at his own impossibly neat bed with an expression akin to longing.

Jack sighed. "It won't kill you to slum it for once. Hey, you might even enjoy it. Think of it as an adventure."

Ianto rolled his eyes, but he finally accepted Jack's outstretched hand, curling their fingers together. "All right. But there had better not be any crumbs in your bed. Or anything else for that matter."

"Come on." Jack laughed as he ushered Ianto into the other bedroom, closing the door behind them.

It still amazed him how this unusual man could amuse, thrill, and frustrate him in ways that he never could have imagined. His mood had shifted so completely in only a matter of minutes that his head was spinning. Knowing that they were about to embark on another night together, he felt almost giddy with excitement.

Ianto's eyes scanned the room, his eyebrows lifting as he focused on the large and untidy pile of clothes that Jack had shoved into a corner. "You call this tidying up?" he asked, his tone somewhere between incredulous and outraged.

"It's a step up from being strewn all around the room." Jack gave an indignant huff. "And seriously, is now the time to be critiquing my domestic skills?"

Ianto replied with a derisive snort, making it clear what he thought of the suggestion that Jack had any domestic skills in the first place.

"Come here." Jack threw back the bed covers and pulled Ianto towards him, turning them so that Ianto was facing away from the mess on the floor.

This time there was no tentativeness or uncertainty. Their mouths met in a hungry kiss as they pulled at each other's clothes. With Ianto clad in only his dress shirt and underwear and Jack in jeans and a t-shirt, it was a matter of mere seconds before were both naked. Clinging to each other, the lengths of their bodies pressed together, they continued to kiss with frantic need.

They tumbled onto the bed, Jack rolling onto his back and pulling Ianto on top of him. The movement of Ianto's erection against his own drove Jack crazy with desire. His heart pounded in his chest, arousal sending a rush of heat coursing through his body. He traced his hands down the length of Ianto's back, exploring the smooth, warm skin. Shifting his attention to Ianto's arse, he squeezed and kneaded the firm flesh, evoking a deep moan in response.

Ianto pulled back, his face flushed, eyes dark and alight with the inner fire that Jack had longed to unleash again. Ianto began to explore Jack's chest with lips, teeth, and tongue, taking time to lavish attention on each nipple. Jack groaned with appreciation, enjoying the way that Ianto teased the sensitive flesh until it was hard and aching.

When Ianto reached Jack's crotch, he didn't hesitate to lick him slowly from root to tip, taking the head into his mouth and sucking eagerly. His hand massaged Jack's balls, fingers dipping down to stroke the patch of sensitive skin beneath. As incredible as it was, Jack had something else in mind. He pulled Ianto up and kissed him, reaching blindly for the top drawer of the bedside table.

After some awkward fumbling, he found what he needed and pushed the items into Ianto's hand. "Here." He kissed Ianto again.

Resting back on his knees, Ianto stared down at the contents of his hand, then looked at Jack with wide, uncertain eyes. "Jack... I..." A worried furrow appeared between his eyebrows.

Jack gave Ianto what he hoped was an encouraging smile. "I want you inside me." When Ianto still looked perplexed, he added, "I'm a flexible kind of guy, remember?"

He took a moment to admire the beauty of the man kneeling before him. For several weeks he'd had only his memories of Ianto's naked body to enjoy. He now realised what a poor substitute those recollections had been for the real thing. He loved that Ianto was a natural, normal looking guy. Ianto wasn't really muscular, or even particularly well toned. He was a stark contrast to some of the gym rats that Jack had been with in the past – all hard, bulging muscles, infinitesimal body fat, artificially tanned skin, and barely a hair visible anywhere except on their scalps. Jack was captivated by the expanse of dark hair adorning Ianto's chest and stomach, finding it incredibly sexy and erotic. Despite Ianto's fastidiousness with his grooming, he obviously preferred his body in its natural state, and although Ianto took care of himself, he wasn't obsessive about it, irrespective of his compulsive nature. The contradictions were intriguing. The man was a complex, unfathomable puzzle that Jack found both fascinating and frustrating in almost equal measure.

Ianto's confused expression eased and became curious. "I suppose I thought... I mean, I didn't know, but I..." He hesitated, a flush of colour rising in his cheeks. "Doesn't matter."

Jack smiled as he realised what Ianto must have been thinking. "It's like that with some men. Some only like to top, some only like to bottom. But there's plenty of guys who enjoy both." He gave Ianto a cheeky grin. "When it comes to sex, there's not much I don't like."

Ianto nodded, then to Jack's surprise he dove forward, pressing their bodies together again and giving Jack a passionate kiss. "Tell me what to do."

Jack guided Ianto through preparing him, gasping with pleasure the first time Ianto's slick finger brushed over the sensitive bundle of nerves of his prostate. Ianto was cautious and tentative, obviously worried that he'd inadvertently hurt him, but Jack guided and encouraged him. Ianto's face was a mixture of concentration and fascination, and Jack had to force himself not to rush things, wanting Ianto to enjoy his first taste of pleasuring another man in the most intimate way possible. For Jack, it had been quite a while since he'd surrendered himself in this way, and his anticipation grew with each passing moment. Knowing that it was Ianto's first time having intercourse with a man heightened his excitement even further.

"That's enough." A shudder rippled through Jack as Ianto's fingers teased his prostate again. "If you keep doing that, this is going to be over way too soon."

Ianto carefully withdrew his fingers. Jack reached forward and gave Ianto several firm strokes, then slowly rolled a condom onto him and applied some lube. Ianto's breathing hitched and his eyes closed for a moment.

Jack bemoaned the need for the latex sheath between them, wishing that they could do this with nothing but their bare flesh. He'd never had intercourse without protection, but it was something he wanted to experience some day. He'd tried to imagine how intense it would feel, and he found himself wishing he could share that with Ianto. He quickly dismissed the thought. Notions like that implied commitment and monogamy, tying himself down to one person, and having absolute trust in that person. Those were all things he'd avoided in the past. Tommy had wanted to get tested and dispense with protection, but Jack had resisted, certain that if they took that step, there'd be no going back and no escape.

He gave Ianto a deep kiss before settling back onto the bed and spreading himself out in readiness. "Go slowly to begin with. Take your time and enjoy it."

Ianto nodded and lined himself up, easing forward and breeching Jack with just an inch or so of his length. Jack drew in a sharp breath with the initial discomfort of the intrusion and forced himself to relax. "Keep going. All the way in. Give me a moment once you're there."

Ianto was already looking overwhelmed, his features flushed and a light sheen of sweat breaking out across his forehead. Gripping Jack's hips, he continued to slowly push forward, little by little, until he was all the way in. "Are you okay?" he asked, leaning down and looking into Jack's eyes.

"Never better," Jack replied, sliding his arms around Ianto's shoulders and pulling him into another kiss.

The lingering twinges of discomfort passed, allowing Jack to revel in the sensation of being filled by Ianto's nicely proportioned length. Jack had been with bigger men, but Ianto felt perfect inside him – thick enough to provide a sufficient stretch to straddle the boundary between pleasure and pain, and long enough to reach deep inside him, just the way he liked.

He wrapped his legs around Ianto's waist, giving a thrust of his hips in encouragement. Ianto slowly pulled out and eased back in, causing them both to moan. Moving uncertainly at first, Ianto settled into a rhythm of long, deep thrusts. He leaned into Jack, bracing his hands on Jack's chest, his eyes intent as they stared down into Jack's.

Jack groaned as his pleasure intensified with the slight change in angle. He pulled Ianto closer and urged him on by tightening the grip around his waist. "Faster if you want. You won't hurt me."

Ianto was still somewhat tentative, but he gradually quickened his pace, continuing to push in deep with each thrust. It wasn't long before they were both shimmering with sweat, heat rolling off their bodies and surrounding them, their moans of pleasure filling the room. Ianto's face was a picture of unadulterated ecstasy, his pale skin flushed and glistening. Jack couldn't take his eyes away from the breathtaking sight. Ianto had never looked more beautiful to him.

Time seemed to drift, and Jack couldn't have said how long they continued like that, lost in each other, touching and trading kisses, their bodies moving in a sensual, insistent rhythm. When Jack felt the pull of his impending climax, he slid his right hand down Ianto's body and grasped hold of himself. A few quick strokes were all it took to send him spiralling over the edge. He cried out, his hips jerking as he shuddered through his climax, thick gushes of ejaculate coating his chest and stomach. Ianto's moans grew louder as he continued to thrust into Jack, his movements becoming erratic. With one final deep thrust, he climaxed, his eyes squeezing closed as his entire body trembled.

They were both breathing hard as Ianto eased out and collapsed down beside Jack. Fumbling for a moment, Jack dealt with the condom, then he pulled Ianto into his arms, tangling their bodies together and holding him close. They shared a kiss, and Ianto nuzzled his face against Jack's neck. Jack smiled as he caressed Ianto's warm, sweat-dampened skin, marvelling at the unexpected turn the evening had taken. He'd fantasised so many times about being with Ianto like this, and the reality had been even better than he'd allowed himself to imagine.

After the inner turmoil of the last few weeks, he wanted to savour this little bubble of happiness he found himself in. Although he knew that they should probably talk about what was going on between them, especially in light of what had happened with Rose, he didn't want to risk spoiling the moment.

He felt the brush of Ianto's fingertips against the side of his face and realised that his mind had drifted. "Jack, are you all right?"

Smiling up at his flatmate, he pushed aside the intrusion of thoughts about the recent past and uncertain future. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question? You're not going to freak out on me, are you?"

Ianto gave a little indignant huff and settled beside him. "No, of course not." He was silent for a few moments. "Jack... is it always like this between two men?"

"Like what?" Jack asked.

"So..." Ianto was obviously struggling to articulate his thoughts. "Um... intense? It's not like I have a frame of reference here."

"It was pretty spectacular," Jack agreed, pleased that Ianto had enjoyed the experience as much as he had and relieved that Ianto didn't seem to regret it. "But, no, it's not always like this." He tilted his head and grinned at Ianto. "So, you enjoyed that?"

"At the risk of sending your ego into orbit... it was incredible." Ianto's voice was tinged with what was now a familiar mix of amusement and exasperation. A moment passed, and he breathed out a sigh. "I suppose I've never had a particularly exciting sex life. I've always liked sex well enough, but... well, it's safe to say I've never been very adventurous." He paused and looked into Jack's eyes. "Then you came along."

Inexplicably touched by Ianto's admission, Jack pulled the other man back into his arms and gave him a soft kiss. "Maybe it was time for that to change. Besides, don't you think you deserve some excitement and adventure?"

Ianto gave a little shrug, but he pressed himself closer against Jack. "Yeah... maybe." He closed his eyes for a moment, his face barely an inch from Jack's. "One night together. It wasn't enough, was it?"

"No," Jack agreed, feeling a pang of regret for the way he'd handled the situation. He pressed his lips to Ianto's again, stroking the nape of Ianto's neck and placing his other hand against the base of Ianto's back. He was determined that this second night together wouldn't be their last. "It wasn't nearly enough. I was a fool to think it was."

They shared another kiss and Ianto settled his head beside Jack's, his breath teasing at the skin beneath Jack's ear. "Me too."

Jack continued to hold Ianto close, relishing the feel of Ianto's warm body against his own. The steady beat of Ianto's heart against his chest provided a soothing rhythm in conjunction with the soft sound of their breathing.

A minute or so passed before Ianto spoke again. "We should get cleaned up," he murmured, although, like Jack, he seemed disinclined to actually move.

Jack kissed Ianto's shoulder, amused that even in such a relaxed, euphoric state, Ianto was still a clean-freak at heart. Admittedly they were kind of a mess, with Jack's release now smeared over both of their bodies. Jack couldn't help taking perverse pleasure from seeing his impeccably groomed flatmate messy and dishevelled, and he loved that he was responsible for Ianto's debauched appearance. He found Ianto's lips and gave him a gentle kiss. "That can wait. Rest for a bit. We'll clean up later."

Ianto made a sound of consent, his eyes closing again, clearly on his way towards dozing off. "You were amazing, Ianto," Jack whispered.

Ianto began snoring softly, causing Jack to smile with amusement. He closed his eyes and drifted into a contented sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks as always to Prothrombintime for reading my ramblings and unwavering encouragement.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

Ianto yawned and rubbed at his eyes as he woke from a deep and dreamless sleep. Feeling disoriented, he pushed himself upright and peered blearily at his surroundings. With a sudden jolt of awareness, he remembered where he was, and more importantly, who he was with.

Jack was sprawled out beside him, lying flat on his stomach, his arms curled around his pillow. His head was turned towards Ianto, his face cast in shadows by the early morning light peeking in from between the curtains. Lips slightly parted, he was sleeping peacefully, the soft sound of his breathing slow and even. The bed covers had slipped down, highlighting the naked state of both their bodies and treating Ianto to an unobstructed view of the upper half of Jack's arse... an arse that he was now acquainted with in the most intimate way possible.

He swallowed hard as he stared at those perfect round globes, studying the teasing glimpse of the divide between them and admiring the way the curves dipped at the base of Jack's spine. Recalling the intense sensations he'd felt from being inside Jack for the first time, he couldn't deny how much he'd loved every terrifying moment. Even more telling was that he wanted to experience it all again.

Forcing his gaze upwards and towards safer territory, he studied the smooth planes of Jack's broad back, resisting the desire to reach out and caress the firm flesh. Finally he turned his attention to the relaxed features of Jack's face. Even in sleep, with his hair in disarray and a shadow of dark stubble gracing his jawline, the man was breathtaking.

He stayed sitting in Jack's bed, spellbound as he watched the sleeping form of the person who had brought more confusion into his life than he ever could have thought possible. With a glance at Jack's alarm clock, he realised that over half an hour had passed. Fighting the almost overwhelming desire to lay back down and curl himself around Jack's warm body, he carefully extricated himself from the bed and collected his shirt and underwear from the floor. With a lingering glance at Jack, he eased the door open and padded quickly to his bedroom.

Moses was curled up at the foot of the bed, his eyes sliding open as Ianto entered the room. After grabbing his discarded bundle of pyjamas from the night before and hastily putting them on, Ianto sat down on the bed and pulled the waking feline into his arms.

"Morning, sweetheart," he murmured, cradling Moses against his chest and stroking the soft fur between his ears. Moses looked up at him with a plaintive expression that he knew all too well. "I suppose you want some breakfast? You're as bad as Jack." He smiled, despite himself. "It's almost a full-time job looking after you two."

He settled back against the pillows, continuing to stroke Moses as he tried to organise his jumbled thoughts.

Although he'd been both surprised and disappointed by Rose's news about her ex-boyfriend's return, a part of him was relieved. He liked Rose, he'd enjoyed the time they'd spent together, and Rose had seemed to enjoy his company too. They'd been getting along well, and he'd felt like he was starting to find his equilibrium again. However, in hindsight, something indefinable had seemed to be missing. They'd both been somewhat skittish and hadn't gone further than a couple of chaste goodnight kisses. Nonetheless, he'd allowed himself to consider the possibility that, given time, it could have developed into something more.

The problem was that Jack had never been far from his thoughts. Having now spent another night with Jack, he realised that it wouldn't have been fair to keep seeing Rose when this thing with Jack wasn't over. Finally he'd felt ready to move on from Lisa, but he hadn't been able to let go of his unsettling fixation with Jack. Plus, he'd been feeling a bit guilty. He knew that Jack was lonely, and he hadn't liked leaving Jack on his own while he was off swanning about with Rose. They didn't always get along, and the man could infuriate him no end, but Jack seemed to enjoy his company, and for the most part he enjoyed Jack's.

The irony wasn't lost on him. Instead of getting his attraction to Jack out of his system, he'd ended up back in the man's arms and then into his bed. As much as he prided himself on his reserve and self-control, when it came to Jack Harkness he seemed to have almost no resistance. He wondered if that was part of Jack's appeal – an escape of sorts from the order of his meticulous, regimented existence. Jack was chaos and disorder personified. Jack represented everything that he strived to eliminate from his life.

It wasn't just the sex, even though sex with Jack was mind-blowing and beyond anything he might have tried to imagine. It was the strange allure of Jack himself. His overwhelming presence, his warmth and strength, his confidence and shameless lack of inhibition. It was an intoxicating combination. Everything with Jack was new and different, confusing and terrifying, but undeniably thrilling and erotic. He conceded that perhaps Jack was right about needing some excitement in his life. It now seemed pointless to deny what they both obviously still wanted. Besides, surely it was possible for them to have some fun and enjoy being together without things getting too out of hand.

Exhaling a deep sigh, he wondered if he was simply telling himself what he wanted to hear. He shook his head in confusion and climbed to his feet. "Come on, Mo. Let's get your breakfast and make Jack his coffee."

There was only one thing that he was certain about. Whatever was going on between himself and Jack wasn't over, and after the night they'd just spent together, he'd been deluding himself by thinking that it was.

###

Jack woke to the heavenly and unmistakeable aroma of Ianto's coffee. Raising his arms up over his head, he stretched out and took a deep breath. He wriggled his hips, the hint of soreness providing a pleasant reminder of the incredible night he'd shared with his flatmate.

After dozing for a couple of hours, they'd eventually cleaned themselves up, took turns with the toilet, and brushed their teeth. As with all things, Ianto was a stickler for oral hygiene, spending an inordinate amount of time on his ritual of brushing, flossing, and gargling. Jack's own approach to oral care was more casual, although he tried to always brush twice a day. Although Ianto's fastidiousness often exasperated him, Jack had to admit that there were worse things than a bedmate obsessed with cleanliness.

He'd taken Ianto back to bed and they'd enjoyed a lengthy make out session, culminating with stroking each other to completion. Jack had wanted to suggest a repeat of the evening's earlier activities, but after the intensity of the experience, he'd decided not to push. Ianto had seemed to cope surprisingly well, but the last thing that Jack wanted was to scare him off or trigger a renewed bout of denial. Afterwards, they'd cleaned up again and gone back to sleep, curling up in the comfort of each other's arms.

Jack rubbed at his eyes. As his vision cleared, he found a wide awake Welshman sitting beside him, sipping from a mug of coffee and looking down at him with intent blue eyes. Much to Jack's amusement, Ianto was dressed in his cartoon sheep pyjamas. Jack looked down at himself and was further amused that, while Ianto was a picture of propriety, he was the very definition of debauchery. The bed covers had fallen away while he'd been sleeping, putting his naked body on display and showing off his morning erection. He had to resist the natural urge to reach down and touch himself, unsure what was on the menu now that a new day had begun.

He made a show of stretching out again, giving Ianto a sly smile. "Enjoying the view?"

Ianto shrugged, but a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "Maybe."

Jack chuckled at Ianto's feigned nonchalance. "You've changed your tune. All this time you've been pretending to be horrified about seeing me naked. Now you can't get enough." He looked at Ianto hopefully. "Does this mean I can ditch the bathrobe?"

A frown marred Ianto's smooth forehead. "No."

"Spoilsport," Jack muttered. He narrowed his eyes. "Why are you dressed?"

"I had to get Moses his breakfast." Ianto gestured to the mug of coffee on the bedside table beside Jack. "And I made coffee. Unlike some people, I don't like swanning around the flat in my birthday suit. Besides, I didn't want Mo to be traumatised."

"I'd say it's a bit late for that." Jack gave him a lewd grin. "Especially after all the noise we made last night."

As if on cue, Moses sauntered into the room and jumped up between them. Jack hauled himself upright and belatedly pulled the bed covers up far enough to afford himself a degree of modesty.

"Hey, buddy." Jack scratched between Mo's ears and rubbed his tummy. He grinned at Ianto again. "Well, this is a nice way to start the day. Waking up with two gorgeous guys in my bed."

Leaning in towards the Welshman, he tried to steal a kiss, but was denied by a hand placed against his chest and a distasteful crinkle of Ianto's face. "Teeth."

"What?" Jack asked in confusion.

Ianto rolled his eyes. "You haven't cleaned your teeth yet."

Jack scowled. "I can't even get a quick peck?"

"Nope." Ianto shook his head. He directed his gaze at Jack's mug of coffee. "Drink your coffee, Jack."

Jack growled with frustration, but he did as he was told. As the first taste of the aromatic nectar passed over his lips, he decided that he couldn't think of a better way to start the day, despite the impediments of unbrushed teeth and those infernal pyjamas.

###

Once they'd finished their coffees and Jack had made a trip to the bathroom to clean his teeth, Ianto couldn't summon the strength to deny either of them any longer. The sight of Jack standing in the bedroom doorway, naked and erect, his eyes alight with mischievous intent as he stroked himself, was too tempting to resist.

Stalking towards the bed, Jack pounced on top of him and made short work of extricating him from his pyjamas. Unable to fault Jack for his enthusiasm, Ianto laughed and squirmed as Jack's fingers homed in on his most ticklish areas. Laughter soon turned to gasps of pleasure, and they enjoyed a series of increasingly heated kisses before their mouths moved on to other parts of their anatomies. When their libidos were once again satisfied, they sprawled out side-by-side on the bed and relaxed.

"So, today is Sunday." Jack propped himself up on an elbow and ran his other hand back and forth over Ianto's stomach.

"Yep," Ianto agreed, closing his eyes.

"That means we have nowhere to be and nothing we need to do. I think we'd be remiss not to take advantage of that, don't you?"

Ianto didn't open his eyes. "You're insatiable."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." The pout in Jack's voice was unmistakeable. "So, is that a no?"

"No," Ianto replied, smiling to himself. He couldn't resist playing a little hard to get. Besides, he really needed to stop throwing himself at Jack like some hormone-crazed teenager. Although he supposed it was a bit late to be worried about the tattered shreds of his dignity.

"No, you don't want to spend a day of sexual debauchery with me? Or no, that wasn't a no?"

"The second one. Possibly." Ianto opened his eyes, tilting his head and giving Jack a challenging stare. "Are you going to clean up that mess and do your laundry?" He waved his hand in the direction of Jack's untidy pile of clothes on the floor. "Oh, and it's your turn to make dinner tonight."

"I'm offering myself to you for a day of hedonistic pleasure and you want me to do housework?" Jack asked incredulously, halting the movement of his hand just above Ianto's crotch.

Ianto gave a little shrug of his shoulders, doing his best to maintain a stoic, implacable expression. He closed his eyes again.

Jack sighed. "How about a compromise? We'll make dinner together. After all, we'll need food to replenish our strength. And I'll deal with my laundry tomorrow. Promise."

Ianto opened his eyes and pretended to consider that for a moment. "All right. Deal."

Jack grinned triumphantly and gave him a firm kiss. "There's one other thing. Don't shave today."

"Why?" Ianto asked, horrified by the suggestion. He hated the feel of stubble on his face, and he couldn't even remember the last time he'd taken a day off from shaving. The only reason he hadn't already showered and shaved for the day was because he hadn't wanted to make undue noise and disrupt Jack's sleep.

Jack seemed to be struggling to hold back his laughter. He slid his hand up Ianto's body and caressed his stubbled jawline. "Because I like you like this... all manly and scruffy."

Ianto rolled his eyes. "And what's in it for me? Aside from stubble rash, since I'm assuming you're not going to shave either?" He didn't feel the need to add that he kind of liked Jack's scruffy appearance.

Jack shook his head, giving him a look of wide-eyed disbelief. "You're getting unrestricted access to my gorgeous body. What more could you possibly want?"

Ianto propped himself up and glanced around the room. He looked back at Jack with his best devilish grin. Jack narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but Ianto didn't fail to notice that a certain part of Jack's anatomy had begun to surge back to life.

He waited a moment to build the suspense, then pointed at Jack's battered grey television stand and made his pronouncement. "I want you to get rid of that eyesore."

Jack blinked and looked confused. "But then I won't be able to watch television in bed. I won't be able to see the screen if it's on the floor."

"You'll have to buy yourself a new stand." Ianto gave Jack a triumphant smile. "One that's tasteful and matches the rest of the furniture... and one that I approve of first."

Jack stared at him. "You've got to be joking."

"Nope. I've wanted that thing out of the flat since the day you moved in." Ianto screwed up his face in distaste. "It's hideous."

Jack looked over at the stand, then looked back at Ianto, apparently weighing up his options. "Fine," he finally agreed with a put-upon sigh. "I'll get rid of it tomorrow." He shook his head as a rueful smile played over his lips. "Damn, you're hard work. Don't get me wrong, you're worth it, but you don't make things easy for a guy."

"Think of it as character building. It's good for you." Feeling rather pleased with himself, Ianto grinned at Jack and kissed him.

###

It was late lunchtime on Monday and Ianto was sitting with Tosh at their usual café. The lunchtime rush had passed, allowing them to secure a corner table towards the back, away from the bustle of staff at the counter by the entrance.

He'd just spent the best part of thirty-six hours with Jack, the majority of it in Jack's bed, and he was struggling to think about anything else. Waking up beside a soundly sleeping Jack for the second morning in a row had been a strange and surreal experience, but this time he'd managed to make a hasty retreat and go about his morning routine.

To his relief, Jack had done the same and hadn't acted any differently than usual. Jack at his untidy, demanding best was safe and familiar territory. He just hoped that they were in silent agreement of the need for strict boundaries if whatever was going on between them was to continue. The situation was confusing enough without the added complication of their activities bleeding into the rest of their lives.

He'd spent the morning cleaning the flat rather than writing, the loss of a day having thrown his schedule out of kilter. He'd needed to get at least one part of his life back under control. The familiar tasks had kept his hands and mind occupied, but now that he was without a distraction, he couldn't stop his restless fidgeting. He realised that going out to lunch perhaps hadn't been such a good idea.

"Ianto? Are you okay?"

Ianto blinked and realised that his thoughts had drifted again. "Sorry, Tosh. Guess I've got a bit on my mind." He gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm not very good company today, am I?"

Tosh waved a hand in a dismissive gesture, but continued to look at him with concern. "I'm sorry that things didn't work out with Rose."

Ianto nodded and absently took a bite from his toasted sandwich. He'd told Tosh about Rose when they'd spoken on the phone earlier to confirm their lunch date, so naturally she'd assumed that it was the source of his preoccupied mood. Tosh didn't know anything about what was going on with Jack, and he couldn't seem to bring himself to talk about it. He didn't like keeping things from his best friend, but he wouldn't have known where to even begin. It was all too confusing. Anyway, what happened within the privacy of their bedrooms was between him and Jack, and he and Tosh had never really talked about those sorts of things.

He swallowed his mouthful of food. "Thanks, but I think it's for the best. Hopefully things will work out for them."

Tosh didn't seem convinced by his nonchalance, but she didn't say anything further. They ate in silence for a minute or two before she spoke again. "How are things with Jack? You know, you haven't complained about him even once today. In fact, you haven't mentioned him at all." She gave him a teasing grin, although there was curiosity in her eyes. "That has to be a first."

Ianto almost choked on the sip of coffee he'd just taken as he willed his pale skin not to betray him. He was sure that he could feel the tips of his ears turning pink. "Sorry. Must have swallowed funny." He cleared his throat. "We're fine, Tosh."

"Really?" Tosh leaned in and lowered her voice. "You're not still plotting to murder him in his sleep?"

Ianto chuckled at their familiar joke. "Well, not as often as I used to. I guess I've gotten used to him. He'd not that bad really." Remembering Rhys' words from the day Jack had moved in, he added, "He's an acquired taste."

Tosh shook her head in obvious amusement. She looked like she was about to speak again, but he scrambled for something else to say to prevent the conversation from moving into dangerous territory. "Actually, Jack's been helping me with my book."

Tosh's eyebrows shot upwards. "You let him read it?"

"Well, no... not exactly." Cringing inwardly as he recalled his less than laudable behaviour, he gave Tosh a brief recount of the events leading up to Jack reading the partial draft of his book along with the ensuing aftermath, keeping the details to a minimum. At least it was something he could be honest about, although he'd avoided mentioning it until now out of concern for hurting Tosh's feelings.

"He's given me some good ideas," he finished, frowning with worry as he looked at his friend. "You're not upset with me, are you?"

Tosh looked confused, then smiled and shook her head. "Of course not. It's great that he's helping you. I'm just glad the two of you are becoming friends."

"I'm as surprised as you are." Ianto managed to smile back and tried to relax. "Still, I suppose stranger things have happened."

Tosh's was silent for a moment, her expression becoming solemn. "I was worried I pushed you too much that day we met him." She reached across the table for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry if I did. I just didn't like the idea of you being alone all the time. I thought having someone like Jack around might be good for you."

Touched by her concern, Ianto considered what he might be doing now if Jack hadn't burst into his life four months ago. Despite everything that had happened between them, he realised that he'd never regretted allowing Jack to move in with him. It wasn't easy to admit, but Jack's arrival had saved him from his bleak and lonely existence since Lisa. As strange as it was, he'd grown to like having Jack in his life. The idea of returning to a life without Jack's presence was something he didn't want to think about.

"If you hadn't convinced me to give Jack a chance, I wouldn't have been able to keep writing full-time." He turned his hand over and squeezed Tosh's in return. "I'm grateful, Tosh. To you and to Jack."

Relief washed over Tosh's features. She leaned closer and looked at him intently. "When the time's right, you'll find someone special, Ianto... someone who sets your heart racing and turns your world upside down."

Ianto did his best to muster an undaunted smile. "I hope you're right, Tosh."

He tried to ignore the whisper at the back of his mind telling him that he already had.


End file.
